Explores how a city and human lives are transformed into literature

Orhan Pamuk, one of the most influential voices in Turkish literature, invites viewers into his home and writing studio to share an honest account of his literary journey over the past fifty years. Using Istanbul as the backdrop for much of his work, he has captured the lives, emotions, and transformations of the people who inhabit the city. Growing up in Istanbul—a crossroads of civilizations where Europe and Asia meet—Pamuk has spent his life exploring questions of identity and storytelling shaped by borders, encounters, and cultural tensions.

In this series, Pamuk speaks candidly about his life, including how he transformed from a young man who dreamed of becoming a painter into a novelist, as well as his upbringing in a relatively affluent family. Through these personal reflections, he reveals how closely life and literature are intertwined. He also shares the stories behind some of his most celebrated novels, including My Name Is Red, which took six years to complete; The Museum of Innocence, which expanded beyond fiction through the creation of a museum bearing the same name; and A Strangeness in My Mind, inspired by his interviews with Istanbul's street vendors and migrants. Drawing on these works, Pamuk offers vivid insights into his writing process and the art of novel creation.