In the Ottoman times, there were itinerant storytellers called "meddah. " They would go to coffee houses, where they would tell a story in front of an audience, often improvising. With each new person in the story, the meddah would change his voice, impersonating that character. Everybody could go and listen, you know ordinary people, even the sultan, Muslims and non-Muslims. Stories cut across all boundaries. Like "The Tales of Nasreddin Hodja," which were very popular throughout the Middle East, North Africa, the Balkans and Asia. Today, stories continue to transcend borders

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About Elif Shafak

Elif Shafak was a contemporary Turkish novelist, essayist and women's rights activist. Elif Shafak is a Turkish-British novelist, essayist, public speaker, political scientist, and activist. Read more on Wikipedia →

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