ELIF SHAFEK - 'THERE ARE RIVERS IN THE SKY' (FIRST PUBLISHED 2024)
'Later, when the storm had passed, everyone will talk about the destruction it left behind, though no one, not even the King himself, will remember that it all began with a dingle raindrop.’ Shafek, 2024, p.1).
'Ashurbanipol loves stories, he believes that, in order to succeed as a leader, you do not have to embark on a perilous journey like Gilgamesh. Nor do you have to become a conquering warrior of brain and sinew. Nor do you have to traverse mountains, deserts and forests, from which few return. All you need is a memorable tale, one that focuses you on the hero.’ (Shafek, 2024, p.1).
’ “Gilgamesh … He wished to conqueer death and so he travelled to the ends of the world - but he failed. He did not see that the only way to become immortal is to be remembered after you have gone, and the only way to be remembered is to leave behid a good story.” ’ (Shafek, 2024, p.15).
’ “Gilgamesh”, the earliest recorded tale in the history of humanity, the oldest surviving poem … ’ (Shafek, 2024, p.215).
’ “The Epic of Gilgamesh” is hugely important. This poem is even older than the Greek myths, imagine!“ ’ (Shafek, 2024, p.394).
'So he seeks help from mathematics. Whenever he feels worried, he does sums and multiplications in his head.’ (Shafek, 2024, p.47).
'Words always come to him with their distinctive flavours. "Accident” is gamey, like burning fat and stale sausages, bags o'mystery, whose ingredients no one really knows. “School” has a pungency that lingers on the tongue, like licking old boots. And “mother” is buttery, warm and sweet, though with an acidic undertone, reminiscent of an apple pie gone sour. For years Arther assumed it must be the same for everyone, that other people also experienced similar associations, until he realized this was not the case.’ (Shafek, 2024, p.47).
’ “ … God made humans … Adam and Eve, Christians, Jews, Muslims and everyone else in this world … ” ’ (Shafek, 2014, p.94).
’ “Words are like birds … When you publish books, you are setting caged birds free. They can go wherever they please. They can fly over the highest walls and across vast distances, settling in the mansions of the gentry, in the farmsteads and labourers’ cottages alike.” ’ (Shafek, 2024, p.102).
’ “ … books, it seems to me, do not end, even when we are finished reading them.” ’ (Shafek, 2024, p.110).
’ “Books, Iike paper lanterns, provide us with a light amidst the fog.” ’ (Shafek, 2014, p.110).
’ “People need poetry, beauty, love! So long as the sun rises and rivers flow, there will always be weddings and celebrations and music.” ’ (Shafek, 2014, p.146).
’ “Our people … we are never the heroes. Always the villains in their stories! And, if not, the sidekicks. Sancho Panza to Don Quixote, Friday to Robinson Crusoe. Huckleberry Finn to Tom Sawyer.” ’ (Shafek, 2014, p.330).
’ “How would the Western classics have survived if they had not been translated into Arabic?” ’ (Shafek, 2024, p.330).
Shafak, E. (2024) 'There are rivers in the sky’. Amazon.com [E-book]. Available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/There-are-Rivers-Sky-bestseller-ebook/dp/B0BLGMP41J/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3T71XYST4VYH0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.aYxgpGDh3TXocs0DsO32E-x_Pp30PHbg97UMo3KATuo.AZcqp4Hj9gGWODt9GigevqmbOxaD4sdZx_C9LkqRvWo&dib_tag=se&keywords=there+are+rivers+in+the+sky&qid=1761054692&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C141&sr=1-1 (Accessed 17 May 2026).
