A strangeness in my mind: a novel

Part I. Thursday, 17 June 1982. Mevlut and Rayiha. Elopement is a tricky business

Part II. Wednesday, 30 March 1994. Mevlut, every winter evening for the last twenty-five years. Leave the boza seller alone

Part III. September 1968-June 1982. Mevlut in the village. If this world could speak, what would it say?

Home. The hills at the end of the city

The enterprising individual who builds a house on empty land. Oh, my boy, Istanbul is a little scary, isn't it?

Mevlut begins to work as a street vendor. It's not your job to act superior

Atatürk boys' secondary school. A good education removes the barriers between rich and poor

Middle school and politics. There's no school tomorrow

The Elyazar cinema. A matter of life and death

The height of Duttepe mosque. People actually live there?

Neriman. What makes the city a city.

The consequences of sticking communist posters on mosques. God save the Turks

The war between Duttepe and Kültepe. We don't take sides

How to marry a girl from the village. My daughter is not for sale

Mevlut's mustache. The owner of unregistered land

Mevlut falls in love. Only God could have ordained this chance encounter

Mevlut leaves home. If you saw her on the street tomorrow, would you recognize her?

How to write a love letter. Your eyes are like ensorcelled arrows

Mevlut's army days. Do you think you're at home?

The military coup. The cemetery of the industrial quarter

Mevlut and Rayiha. Elopement is a tricky business

Part IV. June 1982-March 1994. Mevlut and Rayiha get married. Only death can tear us apart

Mevlut sells ice cream. The happiest days of his life

Mevlut and Rayiha's wedding. Only desperate yogurt sellers bother with boza

Rice with chickpeas. Food tastes better when it's got some dirt in it

Mevlut becomes a father. Do not get out of the van

Samiha runs away. Blood will be shed over this

A second daughter. It was as if his life were happening to someone else

Capitalism and tradition. Mevlut's blissful family life

The Ghaazi quarter. We're going to hide in here

Getting rid of city dust. My God, where is all this filth coming from

Girls who refuse to meet their suitors. We were just passing by

In Tarlabaşı. The happiest man in the world

Süleyman stirs up trouble. Isn't that what happened?

Mevlut finds a new spot. I'll go and pick it up first thing tomorrow morning

The holy guide. I am the victim of a grave injustice

The Binbom café. Let them know what you're worth

The café employees' big swindle. You stay out of it

Last days at the Binbom café. Twenty thousand sheep

Part V. March 1994-September 2002. The brothers-in-law boza shop. Doing the nation proud

In the little shop with two women. Other meters and other families

Ferhat's electric passion. Let's run away from here

A child is a sacred thing. Maybe you would be happier if I would just die and you could marry Samiha

Mevlut becomes a parking lot guard. Guilt and astonishment

After Rayiha. People can't get cross with you if you're crying

A history of electric consumption. Süleyman gets into a tight spot

Mevlut in the farthest neighborhoods. Dogs will bark at anyone who doesn't belong among us

Bringing down a nightclub. Is it right?

Mevlut at the police station. I've spent all my life on these streets

What our heart intends and what our words intend. Fatma continues her studies

Fevziye runs away. Let them both kiss my hand

Mevlut alone. You two are made for each other

New quarters, old faces. Is it the same as this?

Mevlut and Samiha. I wrote the letters to you

Home. We were doing things properly

Part VI. Wednesday, 15 April 2009. The twelve story building. You have a right to the city's rent

Part VII. Thursday, 25 October 2012. The form of a city. I can only meditate when I'm walking.

Part I. Thursday, 17 June 1982. Mevlut and Rayiha. Elopement is a tricky business

Part II. Wednesday, 30 March 1994. Mevlut, every winter evening for the last twenty-five years. Leave the boza seller alone

Part III. September 1968-June 1982. Mevlut in the village. If this world could speak, what would it say?

Home. The hills at the end of the city

The enterprising individual who builds a house on empty land. Oh, my boy, Istanbul is a little scary, isn't it?

Mevlut begins to work as a street vendor. It's not your job to act superior

Atatürk boys' secondary school. A good education removes the barriers between rich and poor

Middle school and politics. There's no school tomorrow

The Elyazar cinema. A matter of life and death

The height of Duttepe mosque. People actually live there?

Neriman. What makes the city a city.

The consequences of sticking communist posters on mosques. God save the Turks

The war between Duttepe and Kültepe. We don't take sides

How to marry a girl from the village. My daughter is not for sale

Mevlut's mustache. The owner of unregistered land

Mevlut falls in love. Only God could have ordained this chance encounter

Mevlut leaves home. If you saw her on the street tomorrow, would you recognize her?

How to write a love letter. Your eyes are like ensorcelled arrows

Mevlut's army days. Do you think you're at home?

The military coup. The cemetery of the industrial quarter

Mevlut and Rayiha. Elopement is a tricky business

Part IV. June 1982-March 1994. Mevlut and Rayiha get married. Only death can tear us apart

Mevlut sells ice cream. The happiest days of his life

Mevlut and Rayiha's wedding. Only desperate yogurt sellers bother with boza

Rice with chickpeas. Food tastes better when it's got some dirt in it

Mevlut becomes a father. Do not get out of the van

Samiha runs away. Blood will be shed over this

A second daughter. It was as if his life were happening to someone else

Capitalism and tradition. Mevlut's blissful family life

The Ghaazi quarter. We're going to hide in here

Getting rid of city dust. My God, where is all this filth coming from

Girls who refuse to meet their suitors. We were just passing by

In Tarlabaşı. The happiest man in the world

Süleyman stirs up trouble. Isn't that what happened?

Mevlut finds a new spot. I'll go and pick it up first thing tomorrow morning

The holy guide. I am the victim of a grave injustice

The Binbom café. Let them know what you're worth

The café employees' big swindle. You stay out of it

Last days at the Binbom café. Twenty thousand sheep

Part V. March 1994-September 2002. The brothers-in-law boza shop. Doing the nation proud

In the little shop with two women. Other meters and other families

Ferhat's electric passion. Let's run away from here

A child is a sacred thing. Maybe you would be happier if I would just die and you could marry Samiha

Mevlut becomes a parking lot guard. Guilt and astonishment

After Rayiha. People can't get cross with you if you're crying

A history of electric consumption. Süleyman gets into a tight spot

Mevlut in the farthest neighborhoods. Dogs will bark at anyone who doesn't belong among us

Bringing down a nightclub. Is it right?

Mevlut at the police station. I've spent all my life on these streets

What our heart intends and what our words intend. Fatma continues her studies

Fevziye runs away. Let them both kiss my hand

Mevlut alone. You two are made for each other

New quarters, old faces. Is it the same as this?

Mevlut and Samiha. I wrote the letters to you

Home. We were doing things properly

Part VI. Wednesday, 15 April 2009. The twelve story building. You have a right to the city's rent

Part VII. Thursday, 25 October 2012. The form of a city. I can only meditate when I'm walking.