31 May at 1pm
In conversation with Patrick McGrath

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Turkish writer Pamuk reached an international audience in 2001 with My Name is Red – part mystery, part love story, part philosophical puzzle, set in 16th century Istanbul. The son of a wealthy Istanbul family, Pamuk was supposed to be an engineer or an architect but dropped out of his studies in the 1970s to write.

Success didn't come at once and he had to rely on his father for financial help. Early naturalistic novels gave way to more postmodern, tricky works, and his breakthrough came in 1994 when his fourth novel, New Life, became a bestseller. A high profile figure at home, he has been denounced for his support for Kurdish political rights. My Name is Red has been translated into 24 languages and won the 2003 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.

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Orhan Pamuk © PA Photos