At the Walters Art Museum on Sunday, August 19, 2007 from 3:00-4:30pm.
Join The Art of Mystery Book Club Discussion this summer!
Meet at the Walters Art Museum on Sunday, August 19, 2007, 3:00-4:30pm to discuss the thriller My Name is Red (translated by Erdag M. Göknar, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2001 [original title: Benim Adim Kirmizi]), written by Orhan Pamuk, a controversial contemporary Turkish writer.
Blending mystery and romance in a story that focuses on the power of art, My Name Is Red is set amid the intrigue of 16th-century Istanbul and conflict between the East and the West. The novel brings the reader into the reign of Ottoman Sultan Murat III in the snowy winter days of 1591 as a group of miniaturist painters are asked to construct an illustrated manuscript not in traditional Islamic style but in Venetian single-point perspective. The novel explores the confusion caused by the conflict between European and Islamic values. The book is characterized by complex, intriguing plots and characters of great depth. The book is not an easy read; each chapter takes on the perspective of a different character.
Typically Pamuk's works reflect his fascination and discussion of the creative arts like literature, painting, and art history. Pamuk's work often touches on the deep-rooted tension between East and West and tradition and secularism, thus explaining his controversial nature. Very recently he was brought up on charges in his native Turkey for stating that his government was responsible for the death of "... one million Armenians and 30,000 Kurds." In a move seemingly related to the timing of international review of Turkish justice policies for consideration of the country's inclusion in the the European Union, charges against Pamuk were dropped in 2006.
To join the Book Discussion, meet at the Walters Art Museum in the Walters Parlor at 5 West Mount Vernon Place in Baltimore, Maryland. The discussion costs $5 (free for members) and requires registration. For more information or to register for the Book Club Discussion, call 410-547-9000, ext. 335.
