A Strangeness in My Mind - Bilingual quotes that celebrate the beauty of language, showcasing meaningful expressions in two unique perspectives.

A Strangeness in My Mind - Bilingual quotes that celebrate the beauty of language, showcasing meaningful expressions in two unique perspectives.

"A Strangeness in My Mind" is a novel by Orhan Pamuk that explores the life of Mevlut, a street vendor selling yogurt and boza in Istanbul. The story spans several decades, capturing the city's transformation and the struggles of its inhabitants. Mevlut's character is shaped by his dreams and the complexities of love, particularly his unrequited feelings for a woman named Reyhan. The narrative intricately weaves his personal journey with broader social and political changes in Turkey, highlighting themes of identity and belonging.

The novel delves into the lives of various characters, providing a vivid portrayal of Istanbul's diverse society. It examines how urbanization alters traditional ways of life and presents the challenges faced by those who adapt to these changes. Mevlut's interactions with family, friends, and strangers illustrate the often melancholic nature of human relationships and the quest for connection amidst chaos. Pamuk's ability to create a rich tapestry of voices and experiences brings depth to the story.

A blend of nostalgia and realism, "A Strangeness in My Mind" invites readers to reflect on their own lives and the cities they inhabit. Through Mevlut's eyes, the novel prompts an exploration of memory, belonging, and the past's impact on the present. Pamuk skillfully captures the essence of Istanbul, making it not just a backdrop but a character in itself. The book resonates with anyone who has grappled with love, loss, and the passage of time, making it a poignant and relatable read.

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Taffy. He thinks about taffy. He thinks it would take his teeth out now, but he would eat it anyhow, if it meant eating it with her.
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All our human endeavours are like that, she reflected, and it is only because we are too ignorant to realize it, or are too forgetful to remember it, that we have the confidence to build something that is meant to last.
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In fact, none of us knows how he ever managed to get his LLB in the first place. Maybe they're putting law degrees in cornflakes boxes these days.
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The value of money is subjective, depending on age. At the age of one, one multiplies the actual sum by 145,000, making one pound seem like 145,000 pounds to a one-year-old. At seven โ€“ Bertie's age โ€“ the multiplier is 24, so that five pounds seems like 120 pounds. At the age of twenty four, five pounds is five pounds; at forty five it is divided by 5, so that it seems like one pound and one pound seems like twenty pence. {All figures courtesy of Scottish Government Advice Leaflet: Handling your Money.}
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Look, if you say that science will eventually prove there is no God, on that I must differ. No matter how small they take it back, to a tadpole, to an atom, there is always something they can't explain, something that created it all at the end of the search. And no matter how far they try to go the other way โ€“ to extend life, play around with the genes, clone this, clone that, live to one hundred and fifty โ€“ at some point, life is over. And then what happens? When the life comes to an end? I shrugged. You see? He leaned back. He smiled. When you come to the end, that's where God begins.
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Small towns are like metronomes; with the slightest flick, the beat changes.
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You say you should have died instead of me. But during my time on earth, people died instead of me, too. It happens every day. When lightning strikes a minute after you are gone, or an airplane crashes that you might have been on. When your colleague falls ill and you do not. We think such things are random. But there is a balance to it all. One withers, another grows. Birth and death are part of a whole.
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Where there's bluster, thinks Luisa, there's duplicity
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