The Museum of Innocence

Set in Istanbul starting in 1975, a wealthy young man from high society falls deeply in love with a distant, working-class shopgirl. Their secret affair unfolds against the backdrop of a rapidly modernizing Turkish society and rigid social conventions. After an abrupt separation, his infatuation turns into a lifelong obsession centered around collecting everyday objects associated with her. The narrative explores memory, class dynamics, and the painful nature of unrequited passion.

by Orhan Pamuk

Faber & Faber, Limited · First published 2008 · 752 pages