The Red-Haired Woman: A novel

FromtheNobelPrizewinnerandbest-sellingauthorofSnowandMyNameIsRed,afableoffathersandsonsandthedesiresthatcomebetweenthem.OntheoutskirtsofatownthirtymilesfromIstanbul,amasterwelldiggerandhisyoungapprenticearehiredtofindwateronabarrenplain.Astheystruggleinthesummerheat,excavatingwithoutluckmeterbymeter,thetwowilldevelopafilialbondneitherhasknownbefore--notthepoormiddle-agedbachelornorthemiddle-classboywhosefatherdisappearedafterbeingarrestedforpoliticallysubversiveactivities.Thepairwillcometodependoneachotherandexchangestoriesreflectingdisparateviewsoftheworld.Butinthenearbytown,wheretheybuyprovisionsandtaketheireveningbreak,theboywillfindanirresistiblediversion.TheRed-HairedWoman,analluringmemberofatravellingtheatrecompany,catcheshiseyeandseemsasfascinatedbyhimasheisbyher.Theyoungman'swildestdreamwillberealized,but,wheninhisdistractionahorribleaccidentbefallsthewelldigger,theboywillflee,returningtoIstanbul.Onlyyearslaterwillhediscoverwhetherhewasinfactresponsibleforhismaster'sdeathandwhotheredheadedenchantresswas.Abeguilingmysterytaleoffamilyandromance,ofeastandwest,traditionandmodernity,byoneofthegreatstorytellersofourtime.TranslatedfromtheTurkishbyEkinOklap.