Perspective

As a memoir and autobiography, this book is told from the perspective of its author, Orhan Pamuk, but it contains frequent references to the perspectives of others who have influenced him. In discussing his childhood and early years, Pamuk is quite introspective, revealing intimate details including early sexual feelings, pain caused by his parents' volatile relationship, his longing for attention from his mother, and his dismay at losing his first love. He is frank about his propensity for engaging in fantasy even into adulthood, and even his frequent daydreams about killing someone. From time to time, he refers to conversations with or remarks made by other people who have populated his life, and one must assume that these are accurate reflections of those people's thoughts and opinions, although they have obviously been filtered by the author.

In addition to being a personal memoir, the book is also a...