 An Evening in the Orchard House With Alev
Croutier
My kind teacher and the director of VEKAM (Vehbi Koç Araştırma Merkezi), Zeynep Önen,
told me that her group would be hosting an evening with famed writer, Alev Croutier - one
of the most widely published women novelists of Turkish origin. Her books are published in
21 different languages, and her international bestsellers are: “Harem: The World Behind
the Veil”; “Taking the Waters”; and the novels “The Palace of Tears,” and
“Seven Houses.”
This was very exciting news, not only due to the fact that Alev Croutier was presenting,
but because this would also be the first meeting held by VEKAM in the Orchard House. The
building is classified as a First Degree Cultural Heritage site, with architectural
features and furnishings that create a unique scientific, cultural and artistic site.1
When I arrived, I was stunned by the beautiful old structure that stood before me. Its
brick and woodwork harked back to a long gone era. But it was not only the age that made
it so stunning; it was the scent of history that lay beneath its layers that brought it to
life.
After touring the splendid Orchard House, I had a chance to talk to Ms. Croutier. I knew
that prior to become a successful writer she worked in film. She finished her higher
education in Art History, where cinema was her major field of study. Her first job was to
work on a movie that was shot in China, and edited in Japan. She found Japan interesting,
and lived there for one and a half years after the film was finished. She has not been
back there since. Given the fact that the cover of her latest book was done by a Japanese
artist and featured a doll made in China, I wondered if she still felt a connection with
the Far East. As it turns out, it was a coincidence that the book cover was made by a
Japanese artist, and the doll that was made in China was used… because it was cheap.
After being a director and producer for about 10 years at National Educational Television,
she started writing scenarios that began to be used in films. She had worked on a movie
called "Tell Me A Riddle," which won a Guggenheim award. As a result, she began
to write more, and found it to be an enjoyable change from a very hard and tiresome
filmmaking career.
"Harem" became an unexpected success, hitting the bestseller list. Eventually,
she just found that she preferred writing and parted ways with filmmaking altogether. I
asked her if she thinks she'll one day get back into making films. She felt that she
would, but only to turn one of her own books into a movie. She stated that she didn't want
to write original cinematic scripts any more, and wanted to stay in her current field.
So, what does Alev Croutier think about the place of Turkish literature in the world?
Since she does not live in Turkey, she has not followed the events and developments on a
daily basis. But from what she has heard from people who live here, her impression is that
there is a feeling of sadness and hopelessness. The view of Turkey from the outside
appears to be very different. Turkey is often seen as a modern, democratic, developed
nation. Individuals have freedom of choice, which some factions within the country see as
shameful. From her perspective, and her knowledge of how the outside world views Turkey,
there is no need to feel any shame. The freedoms that Turks enjoy are a good thing.
Talking to Alev Croutier was a wonderful experience, and made for a very pleasant evening.
To top it off, the setting was extraordinary. I highly recommend experiencing the Orchard
House yourself. It is located at Pınarbaşı Mahallesi, Şehit Hakan Turan Sokak
No:18 Keçiören/Ankara. Have a nice week…
1- Orchard House Brochure page 9.
Alev Değim (COMD/III)
contactinspector@yahoo.com
 |
