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The heroine of FORTY THORNS
My Novel Click and type in a question or comment Judy, Your mother-in-law was a brave soul. I can tell that the two of you were very close. To have you enter into the story of her life says a lot about how she felt about you, too. Thanks for sharing this synopsis of her life. 9/6/11 Judy-Lee....WOW! You are an inspiration, locally ,nationally and globally.Thank you so much! My mother-in-law, Amparo T. Donato felt so much at home when I said to her, "mi casa es tu casa" at our 1st home in New Haven, Conn in the 60's. She died at the age of 100 , and her ashes at St. Andrews columbarium here in Roanoke, Va. I'll go get my RAMA singers video today at Towers as per Linda Shiner's timely reminder. Roanoke Academy of Medicine Alliance is a true cement of our medical community. God bless. All the best from Tony and me. Marilyn Donato www.philamcookbook.com Remzi Kitabevi, Istanbul, has released FORTY THORNS--and the Turkish translation by Leyla Ismier Ozcengiz, an historical novel, fall2011. Being married for over 49 years to a man from another culture has shown me dimensions I never could have known otherwise; and I have coupled my commitment of enabling women with my experiences in and with Turkey. On the stage of world events, we often see the secular Islamic Turkey in the spotlight. Built on the ashes of the Ottoman Empire, Turkey in 1923 mirrored a West that was rather indifferent to it. And yet, in an incredibly short period of time under the leadership of Ataturk, Turkey managed to transform its war-ravaged nation into a productive and progressive republic built on Western ideals. Today, many Americans feel compelled to know more about this complex democracy on the crossroads of East and West. Through the moving life story of the woman Adalet, my novel, FORTY THORNS, dramatizes this evolution of Turkey and the Turks. The novel, FORTY THORNS, by Judy Light Ayyildiz presents a kaleidoscopic scheme of Turkish history, blending past with present and centering on 60 critical years in the evolution of modern Turkey. This is a saga seen through the eyes of a remarkable woman named Adalet, who tells her tales though the memory and imagination of her American daughter-in-law, Lee. After Adalet's death, Lee works out her grief by contemplating Adalet's request of her: Tell my life's story for posterity! A privileged granddaughter of an aga in Ottoman Thrace, Adalet, at age ten, takes flight from the personal devastation of the Balkan Wars. At fifteen—for romantic love and adventure—she defies her family to elope with a blacksmith's son. Mystically inclined Adalet, who dreams of being a writer living in Paris, finds herself on the path of immediate and national revolution. Adalet's journey includes World War One, the Allied Occupation, and The Great Offensive. It contains heroes, heroines, intense romantic adventures, and births. As the wife of a government official, as a teacher who abhors prejudice and needless war, and as a mother of seven children, Adalet is an active part of Turkey's cultural revolution and the ongoing contest for women's rights. Her tumultuous married life stumbles through Turkey's painful metamorphosis from the crumbling empire to the new republic led by the heroic Ataturk. Laced with vivid scenes and particular details of the exotic culture, Adalet's epic-riddled life winds back and forth through Anatolia, Istanbul, and Thrace. "I was so taken by reading. An inspiring life – life, lived to the fullest, against the grand setting of war-torn Turkey of the twentieth century, and marked fatally by the decisive moments of the country’s modern history. Adalet’s life connects exemplarily the public and private spheres of human existence, and the strength, generosity, and liberality of her spirit provide for her loved and loving American daughter-in-law a cherished and unlimited source of motivation, encouragement, and muse. It is a strong text indeed." —Klara Kolinska, Ph.D. Anglophone Studies, Metropolitan University, Prague, Anglophone Literatures and Cultures, Charles University, Prague. Studies in Literature and Culture. Charles University, Prague, Shakespeare and His Collaborators Over the Centuries. Cambridge Scholars Publishing "Ayyildiz's language continually surprises us with its music, and her eye has a long range. Her lyricism of is so unforced, it feels like someone wise is finally talking to us, human-to-human." —A. E. Stringer, Writing and Literature Professor of English, Marshall University, author of Human Costume and Channel Markers. "Ayyildiz does it again, a lovingly written biography of her mother-in-law, Adalet. FORTY THORNS is a lesson in history of a region as well as endurance. Set during the turbulent times of WWI in the Balkans and the War of Independence in Turkey, it takes the reader on a whirlwind journey. She pieces together the collective history of her mother-in-law and her relatives, intermingled with customs that are so different than her own. A much needed book that will familiarize the reader with history and customs of the region as well as love and respect in families of different backgrounds." —Sema Karaoglu, Founder, Daughters of Ataturk "American Lee marries Turkish Nuri and gains a whole Turkish family. Lyrical and full of wonder alternating with aggravation, FORTY THORNS is Lee’s tempestuous love affair with Turkey in the telling of her mother-in-law Adalet’s life. From runaway marriage through desertion, revolution, and old age, Adalet is a woman of strength, grace, and considerable power, a permanent influence on the stranger who becomes her daughter, and the heart of this beautiful novel." —Amanda Cockrell, Managing editor of The Hollins Critic, Director of the graduate programs in Children's Literature Author of What We Keep Is Not Always What Will Stay; Pomegranate Seed; and The Horse Catchers trilogy. This page allows viewers to post feedback and comments about the site. Click "Create Topic" above to get started.
This section is not intended for live chats. To use it for live chat, both you and your reader will have to repeatedly hit "refresh" on your web browser to see the most recent posting. That process is a bit clumsy. This is an advanced section -- you may want to hide it at the start. You can always launch a discussion area later. Delete this entire entry by clicking the small blue "Delete" box that appears directly above this entry when you're in Edit Mode. Do you like my web site? Click and type in a question or comment tku for yr last work.Kirik diken. A Girl Brand - Istanbul Judy, This is an oblique communication. I have been trying to reach Dr. Vedii Ayyildiz who treated my wife in RMH in 1989 for a head trauma and stroke as a result of a horse-and-buggy accident. We became quite friendly with him at the time and he gave us a copy of Mud River. I was just rearranging our library when I happened upon the book. My wife and I are very grateful to him for being part of the team that not only saved her life but saved her brain. We wanted to again express our gratitude. We tried calling RMH but they couldn't locate him. Then we tried his home, but the phone was temporarily disconnected. We'd like to chat with him again if possible. Thank you. Gene Sykes Lynn Sykes 480-451-3333 same uslaws@cox.net LRS@cox.net (c) 602-767-1229 (c) 602-573-1229 A fine site! Packed with information without being promotional. Fitting for a writer of your status and eclecticity! Well-deserved congratulations for all you've achieved. - David B As a friend of Gwyneth Barber, I thought I would write in her m4emory to you. We knew each other for life (she crashed my 18th birthday party), more recently because I was away, she emailed me about her work. The last email was on Oct. 27th, 2006, with MAY MIRACLES BE IN YOUR FUTURE. Since your name was also on it, I feel as though there is a link. By the way, I also write and publish. Heather Royes. hhroyes@yahoo.com I like it very much! -- Susie from Idaho |
