Z lf Livaneli is Turkey's best-selling author and a political activist. Widely considered one of the most important Turkish cultural figures of our time, he is known for his novels that interweave diverse social and historical backgrounds, figures, and incidents, including the critically acclaimed Bliss (winner of the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Award), Serenade for Nadia (Other Press, 2020), Disquiet (Other Press, 2021), The Last Island (Other Press, 2022), The Fisherman and His Son (Other Press, 2023), Leyla's House, and My Brother's Story, which have been translated into thirty-seven languages, won numerous international literary prizes, and been turned into movies, stage plays, and operas. Brendan Freely was born in Princeton in 1959 and studied psychology at Yale University. His translations include Two Girls by Perihan Mağden, The Gaze by Elif Şafak, and Like a Sword Wound by Ahmet Altan.
“A fascinating and charming account of the last days of the Ottomans as seen through the eyes of a deposed sultan and his skeptical doctor, as well as a thought-provoking study in political folly, personal responsibility, and hope.” —Jenny White, author of The Sultan’s Seal and The Abyssinian Proof Praise for Disquiet: “Entirely captivating.” —New York Times Book Review “[An] arresting novel.” —The New Yorker “A somber, pensive novel, by one of Turkey’s greatest modern writers…[An] intensely emotional, memorable story.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)