The Prisoner of Ankara: A Novel

An idealistic young man attempts to find his place in a changed world after incarceration, in this Turkish classic from the pioneering writer and activist, now available for the first time in English.

Dreaming of a better life for her son, Vasfi’s mother encourages him to attend medical school, so he can become a great doctor. But Vasfi’s infatuation with the beguiling Zeynep, and his fiery temper, destroy this promising future in a night: Quarreling over Zeynep, he kills his cousin in a drunken brawl, and spends the next 12 years in prison.

After his release, he struggles to get by in a world that has moved on without him. He hardly recognizes Zeynep, now a bitter, tightfisted shop owner. Homeless and unable to find work in Ankara or Istanbul, he relies on the kindness of others: an old woman who offers him shelter, because he reminds her of her lost son; a friend from prison who secures him a job as a construction worker.

In this tragic yet vibrant portrait of a life derailed, Suat Derviş offers an insightful, deeply humane perspective on the margins of society.