I Will Never See the World Again

by Ahmet Altan, Yasemin Çongar (Translator)

The destiny I put down in my novel has become mine. I am now under arrest like the hero I created years ago. I await the decision that will determine my future, just as he awaited his. I am unaware of my destiny, which has perhaps already been decided, just as he was unaware of his. I suffer the pathetic torment of profound helplessness, just as he did.

Like a cursed oracle, I foresaw my future years ago not knowing that it was my own.

Confined in a cell four metres long, imprisoned on absurd, Kafkaesque charges, novelist Ahmet Altan is one of many writers persecuted by Recep Tayyip Erdogan's oppressive regime. In this extraordinary memoir, written from his prison cell, Altan reflects upon his sentence, on a life whittled down to a courtyard covered by bars, and on the hope and solace a writer's mind can provide, even in the darkest places.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Politics, Biography, History, Turkish, Essays

138 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

He was born 1950 in Ankara, Turkey to the notable journalist and writer Çetin Altan as the first of two sons. His brother Mehmet Altan is also a journalist, writer and university professor of economy politics.

A working journalist for more than twenty years, he has served in all stages of the profession, from being a night shift reporter to editor in chief in various newspapers.

In addition to having written columns in several Turkish newspapers, including Hürriyet, Milliyet and Radikal, Altan has produced news programming for television. He worked as the editor in chief and lead columnist of Taraf, a daily Turkish newspaper, until he resigned from his post in 2012.

He was fired from Milliyet after writing a column on 17 April 1995 titled "Atakurd", which presented an alternate history of Turkey.
In September 2008 when Altan published an article titled "Oh, My Brother" dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide, he was charged under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code for "denigrating Turkishness". The judicial claim was initiated by the far-right "Great Union Party."

During Turkey's media purge after the failed July 2016 coup d'état on September 23, 2016, Altan, was arrested. On 16 February 2018, along with his brother Mehmet and four others he was sentenced to life imprisonment with the condition that they be locked up for 23 hours each and every day.

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazingly powerful book. Turkish writer, Ahmet Altan is imprisoned by Erdogans oppressive regime for the slimmest of reasons. This is his experience from the time he is taken until he finds out his sentence is for life. It covers his feelings, but also discussions with his two cell mates on religion, descriptions of his cell, and his love of books, words, authors. It is poignant, forthright, hopeful and despairing. His words were smuggled out of prison, with the hope that the regime will realize they can lock up writers, but not their words, ideas.

"Forgetting is the greatest source of freedom a person can have. The prison, the cell, the walls, the doors, the locks, the problems and the people---everything and everyone placing limits on my life and telling me 'you cannot go beyond' is erased and gone."

"I grew up in a house full of books. My childhood was spent among them. Books were the wood sprites in a forest the essence of which I couldn't quite grasp, one that looked quite complex and boring to me. I liked the fairies bright charm, their air of mystery, their promising smiles more than the forest itself."

"I am writing this in a prison cell.
You can imprison me but you cannot keep me here.
Because like all writers, I have magic. I can pass through your walls with ease."

Incredibly touching, but also shows the resilience of the human spirit.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words.

Words can be dangerous.

A failed Turkish coup d’état attempt on July 15, 2016 caused President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to overreact. More than 150,000 people were fired from their jobs, detained or arrested. One of those arrested was Ahmet Altan. He had appeared on a television program the day before the coup attempt. Turkish prosecutors claimed that he had given ‘subliminal messages’ in favor of the coup on the program. On February 16th, a Turkish court sentenced the novelist and former newspaper editor to life imprisonment without parole.

Words can inform.

These brilliantly written essays were smuggled out of prison in Altan’s lawyers’ papers, translated by Alton’s friend Jasemin Ҫongar, and published for all the world to see.

Words can create freedom within one’s mind.

“You can imprison me but you cannot keep me here. Because, like all writers, I have magic”, Altan states at the book’s conclusion. “I can pass through your walls with ease.”

Words have power.

Thirty-eight Nobel laureates condemned Altan’s imprisonment. He was released from prison on November 5th, 2019. Highly recommend.

[Maria Bikaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

«Μεχμέτ Μπέη, εδώ πρέπει να ξεχάσεις το έξω, ειδάλλως θα δυσκολευτείς πολύ».
Αυτό είναι σοφή συμβουλή. Πρέπει να ξεχάσεις ότι υπάρχει ζωή έξω. Όμως δεν είναι δυνατόν να ξεφορτωθείς την επιθυμία. Μπορείς να ξεχάσεις τη ζωή, όμως δε μπορείς να ξεχάσεις τους ανθρώπους που αγαπάς, και κάθε όμορφο πράγμα που βλέπεις μεγαλώνει τη λαχτάρα σου γι’ αυτούς.
Μερικές φορές μια κρίση επιθυμίας είναι τόσο οξεία, που νιώθεις τα πνευμόνια σου να σχίζονται σάμπως ένα πλάσμα θέλει να ξεφύγει από μέσα σου. Είναι λες και πεθαίνεις. Τέτοιες στιγμές πρέπει να κινηθείς για να ξεφύγεις απ’ το πλάσμα.

Ένας εξαιρετικός Αχμέτ Αλτάν. Ένας συγγραφέας που καταδικάστηκε σε ισόβια κάθειρξη με την κατηγορία της προδοσίας και που δε χάνει το κουράγιο του μέσα στους 4 τοίχους της φυλακής και χρησιμοποιεί τη δύναμη των λέξεων και με άσβεστο πάθος και εντυπωσιακό λόγο στέκεται στο ύψος των περιστάσεων και μας καλεί να πάρουμε μέρος στο ταξίδι του για την ελευθερία του μυαλού και της ψυχής του γιατί όπως λέει και ο ίδιος:

« Το γράφω αυτό μέσα σ’ ένα κελί φυλακής. Όμως δεν είμαι στη φυλακή. Είμαι συγγραφέας. Μπορείτε να με φυλακίσετε αλλά δε μπορείτε να με κρατήσετε εδώ. Επειδή, όπως όλοι οι συγγραφείς, έχω μαγικές δυνάμεις. Μπορώ εύκολα να περνώ μέσ’ από τοίχους».

[Mehmed Gokcel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The review on the cover "Read this - it will explain why you ever read anything, why anyone ever writes" by A. L. Kennedy might sound like clickbate material, but in fact it happens to be the best/only way to describe this book.

[پیمان عَلُو · Rating 5 out of 5]

دردم از آن است که نه کُرد‌ها “او” را می‌شناسند و نه تُرک‌ها جواهرشان را می‌خوانند!

او‌ را خطرناک‌ترین نویسندهٔ تُرک معرفی می‌کنم، البته ترکیه از این دست نویسندگان کم نداشته…
کدام‌شان را بگویم!؟

بازهم هنگام کتاب‌خریدن احمد آلتان را دیدم و نتوانستم جلوی خودم را بگیرم و کتاب را خریدم.
می‌دانستم بازهم قرار است «زخم شمشیر» باشد بر جانم…

در ریویویی که بر کتاب دیگرش یعنی«مردن آسان‌تر از دوست داشتن است» نوشته‌ام که چه بلایی سر او آوردند…

“او “ پسر یک یاغی بود، پسر «چتین آلتان» و برادر «محمت آلتان»…
نویسنده‌ای که در مورد قتل عام *روبوسکی نوشت!
*روزی که هواپیمای تُرک ۳۴ نفر از کُردهای *بی‌گناه را کُشت!

او در پیامی به اردوغان که خود را یک اسلامگرا می‌داند نوشت:
«اگر حضرت محمد«ص» زنده بود، در مقابل قتل عام *روبوسکی واکنشش چه بود!»

آلتان (خطرناکترین نویسنده ترک) بارها به مسئله کوبانی اشاره کرد، به قتل عام ارمنی‌ها و کُردها…
او به اردوغان لقب «قلدر توخالی » داده بود…
او را بارها از کار اخراج کردند، تهدیدش کردند به زندان انداختند…
اما به روزنامه تایمز گفته بود:
«باردیگر حاضرم به آنجا (زندان) برگردم.»

“او” دقیقا مثل پدرش و برادرش مؤلفی بود که مسئله‌اش انسان بود.


بعد از کودتای ناموفق نظامی سال ۲۰۱۶ ، دولت بهترین فرصت را غنیمت شمرد تا آلتان و برادرش را دستگیر کند…
جرم‌چه بود؟
«پیام های غیرمستقیم/ شرکت در کودتا/ تروریست مارکسیست/ توطئه‌گر مذهبی»

قاضی او‌ را به «حبس ابد»محکوم کرد.

این کتاب روایت احمد آلتان از لحظه دستگیری خودش و برادرش تا زندان و اتفاقات داخل زندان را روایت می‌کند…
حکم دادگاه را که می‌شنود تلاش می‌کند که مبارزه کند، مبارزه‌اش جواب می‌دهد و نزدیک چهل برنده‌ی نوبل ادبیات درخواست می‌دهند که “ او‌ “ آزاد شود…

آلتان در آخرین صفحه از این کتاب می‌گوید:

‏این‌ها را در سلول زندان می‌نویسم.
اما در زندان نیستم.
من نویسنده‌ام.
نه در جایی که هستم واقع شده‌ام و در نه در جایی که نیستم.
می‌توانی زندانی‌ام کنی، اما نمی‌توانی اینجا نگهم داری!
چون مثل تمام نویسنده‌ها قدرتی جادویی دارم و می‌توانم به راحتی از دیوارهایت عبور کنم…

[sAmAnE · Rating 4 out of 5]

کتاب «دیگر رنگ دنیا را نخواهم دید» دنیایی آکنده از یأس و ناامیدی را به تصویر می‌کشد... این کتاب، مجموعه‌ای از خاطرات و تأملات احمد آلتان درباره دوران زندان اوست؛ تجربه‌هایی سرشار از درد و رنج در شرایطی سخت و طاقت‌فرسا...
بااین‌حال، در میان این فضای تاریک، جملات نویسنده بازتابی از ذهنی مقاوم و توانمند است؛ ذهنی که حتی در بند، با زبانی شاعرانه و قابل‌فهم برای هر خواننده‌ای، قدرت تخیل و امید به رهایی را آشکار می‌سازد...

[Sepehr · Rating 3 out of 5]

از ادبیات ترک، دو کتاب را بسیار در انتظار ترجمه و انتشارشان بودم. یکی همین دیگر رنگ دنیا را نخواهم دید از احمد آلتان و دیگری، برف اثر اورهان پاموک ( البته پیشتر از برف پاموک یکی دو ترجمه‌ی غیر قابل اعتنا وجود داشت ).
خوشبختانه هر دوی این کتاب‌ها امسال منتشر شدند و من با ذوق شروع کردم به خواندن کتاب آلتان. احمد آلتان نویسنده و روزنامه‌نگار مطرح و عاصی ترکی هست که نثر بسیار ماخولیایی و گزنده و در عین حال شاعرانه‌ای دارد و جزو مطرح‌ترین نویسندگان ترک هست. به تازگی کتاب تاریخ خاص تنهایی رو از آلتان خوانده بودم و برام نویسنده‌ی لایق پیگیری به نظر رسید.
کتاب دیگر رنگ دنیا را نخواهم دید، خوانده شده‌ترین اثر آلتان بود، چرا که در زمانی این کتاب نوشته و منتشر شده بود که احمد آلتان با اتهامات قضات و دولت، به حبس ابد محکوم شده بود و تقریبا در اواخر دهه هفتم زندگی‌ش.
با این همه باید تفاوتی بین اثر مهم و اثر استاندارد و با کیفیت قائل شد. کتاب آلتان اثر مهمی است. چرا که به خوبی خفقان سیاسی، وضعیت زندان، بهداشت و روحیه زندانیان و کادر مسئول و ... را افشا می‌کند. با این همه، که البته قابل درک است، دیگر چندان خبری از ظرافت و تیزبینی آلتان نیست. بیشتر اثری است که نوشتن آن به منظور دوام آوردن و رفع اضطراب‌ها و شروعی برای یک زندگی جدید نوشته شده است.
با این حال تجربیات خاص، مثل تجربه‌ی زندان، به خصوص به دلایل سیاسی و به خصوص در منطقه‌ی خاورمیانه، اگر به دست نویسنده‌‌ای توانا نوشته شده باشند، برای من همواره جالب و حائز اهمیت هستند.
با وجود این، به این دلیل که کیفیت کتاب با آنچه انتظار داشتم تفاوت زیادی داشت، برای آن امتیاز زیادی منظور نمی‌کنم.

[Lisa (NY) · Rating 4 out of 5]

[3.9] Altan writes clearly and poignantly about his survival in prison under Turkey's authoritarian regime in this slight memoir. I listened to the audio which ended so abruptly that I went back and reread some of the chapters. I would have preferred more, but I'm sure the conditions were not ideal for writing. Altan hand-wrote each page from his cell.

[Tolga Dorken · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very powerful piece of writing depicting what is left of the Turkish democracy after the failed coup attempt in 2016. Had it been a work of fiction, I would probably have rated it higher. But, and it's an important but, it's an autobiography, therefore the expectations are different.

The book is very moving and I read the first sections with sadness and anger. However, as I read further, my feelings turned into one of disbelief that the author omitted critical parts of his life prior to his imprisonment, that there was not a drop of regret or remorse for his share of what's going on today. It is quite something that the author is painting a picture in which he was a journalist critical of the government and sent to jail for that reason, whereas the truth is he for long years had cosy relationship with the government and was the editor of a newspaper which targeted and wrongly accused many people who in result were thrown to the dungeons of this brutal regime. The reason Ahmet Altan is in prison is not because he's a dissident journalist, but because he is no longer of any use to the "supreme leader".

Again, if this was a work of fiction, none of the above would be important. But it's not, therefore reality matters. The charges brought up against the author, that he was part of the failed coup is surely nonsense and the life sentence is unjustifiable. But on my list of Turkish intellectuals behind bars for no good reason, Altan fails to make to the top.

There are two descriptions of the author used for himself in the book. One is that he is not a brave man. The other is that he possesses a godly arrogance. Both descriptions are spot on.

I would still recommend reading this book for two reasons, that it will give you a good idea about the death of democracy and rule of law in Turkey and that it's a good piece of literature on how a man feels when he's wrongly accused and receives a prison sentence he doesn't deserve. But if you want to sympathise with someone, there are plenty of imprisoned journalists in Turkey that do not possess the international connections to have their stories printed, you may want to focus on them.

Edit: Well, he was wrong, once again, or as always. He did get to see the world again. I am happy that the injustice is over, that he's once again free. However, I suppose his imprisonment for unjust reasons was as close to divine justice as we're gonna get in this world. May he live the rest of his days free and in misery.

[Sebastian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahmet Altan is a Turkish writer and journalist that was detained and then received a life sentence because he was believed to have taken part of the failed military coup that tried to overthrow Erdogan's regime in 2016 Turkey.

While in prison, he wrote this beautiful memoir in which you get to see how democracy dies, how the judicial system is used as a tool to give the authoritarian regime a legal front for its abuses and how lives are ruined in the process.

Altan doesn't focus solely on his day to day experiences but more on his feelings and what's going on in his head, you are exposed to his thoughts about religion and God, about his profound love for literature and books and how through his rich inner life he manages to get through that hardship of being imprisoned.

I found similarities in this book with Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" and actually even Altan sees this as well, mentioning this book in his memoir.

I believe this is an important book, especially nowadays with the decline of democracy all across central and eastern Europe, but also in the West, because it shows you how fragile democracy is and how it must be defended ultimately by the people, because you cannot trust the judicial system or the media to do it alone.

“You can imprison me but you cannot keep me here. Because, like all writers, I have magic. I can pass through your walls with ease.”

“On one side of this reality was a body made of flesh, bone, blood, muscle and nerve that was trapped. On the other side was a mind that did not care about that body and made fun of what would happen to it, a mind that looked from above at what was happening and at what was yet to happen, that believed itself untouchable and that was, therefore, untouchable.”

“In The Divine Comedy, Dante’s depiction of the Inferno is more intense and dramatic than his narrative on Paradise. Dante cannot help but imagine himself torturing the dwellers of hell. Here are the literary grounds for my suspicion that what we expect from God is not so much that he accept us into his heaven but that he send our enemies to hell.”

[piperitapitta · Rating 4 out of 5]

«Ovunque voi mi chiuderete, io viaggerò per il mondo»



Non c'è molto altro da dire, se non suggerire di leggere la parole di Ahmet Altan e sottoscrivere la petizione di Amnesty International.

[Laura Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am happy to say that Ahmet Altan, a Turkish writer sentenced to life in prison under an oppressive Turkish regime, was released earlier this year after serving more than four years. I just finished his latest, highly moving book written from prison, "I Will Never See the World Again" and 5* isn't high enough praise. His exquisite command of the language and craft of writing took me inside the soaring reaches of his imagination proving that one can imprison the body but not the mind. It is short in pages but not in impact.

[KamRun · Rating 2 out of 5]

هر چشمی که نوشته‌هایم را می‌خواند، هر صدایی که نامم را تکرار می‌کند، مثل ابر کوچکی دستم را می‌گیرد و مرا بر فراز دشت‌ها، چشمه‌ها، جنگل‌ها، دریاها، شهرها و خیابان‌ها به پرواز درمی‌آورد. آهسته در خانه‌ها، تالارها و اتاق‌ها مهمانم می‌کند. از درون سلولم در زندان به سرتاسر جهان سفر می‌کنم. می‌توانی زندانی‌ام کنی، اما نمی‌توانی اینجا نگهم داری

احمد آلتان، نویسنده‌ی رمان‌های شناخته شده‌ی ترکیه‌ای پس از کودتای نافرجام سال 2016 بازداشت و به حبس ابد محکوم شد. این کتاب حبسیه‌ی نه چندان جذاب اوست که بیشتر به جستار می‌ماند تا روزنوشت زندان. روایت جذابیت خاصی نداشت، حتی آنجا که با تخیل و خیال‌پردازی عجین می‌شد. طی خواندن روایت آلتان، دو نکته نظرم را جلب کرد

اول - توضیحات آلتان در خصوص نویسندگی
آلتان می‌گوید نویسندگی با علم صورت نمی‌پذیرد و در واقع علم و تفکر خود یک مانع در راه نگارش اثر محسوب می‌شود. آنچه اثر نویسنده را ماندگار می‌کند شهود است که در اعماق وجود آدمی ته‌نشین گشته و وظیفه‌ی نویسنده دسترسی به این شهود برای نگارش داستان است

دوم - تفاوت میان نویسندگان قرن 19 و 20
آلتان بر این عقیده است که میان نویسندگان قرن 19 و 20 تفاوت فاحشی وجود دارد و آن ارتباط میان خالق اثر و شخصیت‌های داستان است. نویسندگان قدیمی بر پیچیدگی‌های احساسی و مسائل روانی شخصیت خود تمرکز می‌کردند و از این رو با خلق شخصیت‌های پیچیده، داستان ارائه دهنده احوالات شخصیت بود و شخصیت بر نویسنده غالب می‌گشت. در حالی که در رمان‌های قرن 20 و امروزی این رابطه کاملا برعکس است و آنچه در اثر ارائه می‌شود خود نویسنده و عقاید و آگاهی و تفکر اوست. در واقع داستان برای نویسنده‌ی امروزی نوعی مانیفست محسوب شده و از این رو داستان‌های امروزی نسبت به آثار گذشتگان سطحی‌ترند

[Paltia · Rating 5 out of 5]

An impactful memoir penned by an imprisoned writer who understands the ferocious power of words. Ahmet Altan lets his thoughts drift in these brilliantly coloured pieces. They conjure up the filthy claustrophobia of a cell as well as the distant places of humour, passion and solace. In a voice of hard earned wisdom he invites us along as he makes his way to the freedom of mind. Casting off chains, meant to keep him down, he sets sail around the world of his imagination. This is a man who loves to hear and write stories. All lovers of books will find themselves nodding in agreement and delight as he quotes from his familiar and favourite books. We understand the places a great book can take us. “I am writing this in a prison cell. But I am not in prison. I am a writer. I am neither where I am nor where I am not. You can imprison me but you cannot keep me here. Because like all writers, I have magic. I can pass through your walls with ease.” What a magnificently courageous man he is. One can only hope he will see the world again.

[Mikey B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short autobiographical work on the imprisonment of this Turkish writer is simply astounding.

It’s a flourishing of thoughts during different stages of the author’s incarceration. He was in his sixties when this occurred.

In Turkey there is no legitimate reason to lock someone up – simply being branded as “an enemy of the state” is adequate.

The writing is eloquent and inspiring as the author traces for us the wanderings of his mind in his small cell. If one is despondent during this sad pandemic isolation the words in this book may just be the remedy.

The prose on the many diverse subject areas weaves you into the authors’ mind and he transposes his world from his small cubicle.

In 2019 Ahmet Altan was briefly released, but detained again.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a lucky person. I can read what I want. I have never been locked in prison, especially for my thoughts. I consider myself a liberal thinker. I live in a country that seems to respect people’s views. We can still claim to be a democracy. Other’s are not so lucky.

In fact, the world seems to be headed in the other direction. You are either with us or against us! has been uttered by world leaders, populists, demagogues.

In Turkey, the people have elected a leader who suppresses any dissent. He, like other leaders, want to rule for ever. What has happened to our world?

Yesterday, I drove by a protest rather against my prime minister and the mayor. The giant signs had photos of each and called them traitors! I was shocked. In my own city. Maybe I am not so lucky?

I read this book, spurred on by Nelson, my Portuguese friend’s review on this book. I had heard of Ahmet Altan’s lockup, his contrived prison sentence, and the outcry of Nobel prize winners request for his freedom. Even during the pandemic, there was a request for freedom after it raged in his prison. It falls on deaf ears. Now I needed to read it.

This book is one of the most powerful books I have read. Maybe because of his situation but mostly because of Altman’s attitude. It’s funny. It’s very wise. It is very humane. It mad me mad but also made me stop and reflect. I always thought the two things the made the world a worse place is politics and religion. We need them but all to often, they are used for the wrong reasons. We are living in this time.

The last chapter on the paradox of being a writer is very powerful. Even in a prison, a writer can tear down the walls that confine us. And that is very liberating.

That surprised me.

This is a 6!

[Hristina]

Foarte luminoasă. Exact cum a anticipat Altan îmi făcusem o proiecție intunecata, plecasem cu o prejudecata la drum. Mi-a placut mult Meryem, Spiridușii pădurii, Cătușe, Știrea.

[Loulou11 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Encore une excellente lecture. Le style de l’auteur est magnifique, très imagé et percutant. Ce livre fait réfléchir à la condition de prisonnier, au comportement que nous adoptons face à l’adversité, à la sagesse, à la place de la lecture et de l’écriture dans nos vies. Je relirai ce livre, il a laissé son empreinte en moi.

« Nous allons passer le reste de notre vie dans une cellule de trois mètres sur trois, seuls, avec une heure par jour pour sortir voir la lumière.
Nous mourrons dans une cellule de prison, sans qu'on ne nous présente jamais d'excuses.
Voilà le verdict.
Condamné comme mon personnage.
J'ai écrit mon propre futur.
Je tends les mains. Ils me passent les menottes.
Je ne reverrai plus le monde, ni le ciel autrement qu'entre les quatre murs d'une cour.
Je vais chez Hadès aux enfers.
Je marche vers les ténèbres comme un dieu avance vers le destin qu'il s'est prédit.
Mon personnage et moi disparaissons dans les ténèbres. »


« Me jeter en prison était dans vos cordes; mais aucune de vos cordes ne sera jamais assez puissante pour m'y retenir.
Je suis écrivain.
Je ne suis ni là où je suis, ni là où je ne suis pas.
Enfermez-moi où vous voulez, je parcours encore le monde avec les ailes de l'imagination. »

[Nelson Zagalo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahmet Altan foi preso em 2016, a seguir ao golpe de estado falhado na Turquia. Altan tinha um historial, enquanto jornalista, de escrever artigos proibidos, por serem alegadamente contra a Turquia, falando do direito à autodeterminação dos povos curdos e arménios que vivem sob a opressão da Turquia. Por isso foi listado na longa lista de intelectuais, académicos, militares e magistrados que foram presos como forma de purga do sistema turco. Várias associações internacionais, como o PEN Internacional e a Amnistia Internacional, juntaram-se em 2017 no pedido de apoios e manifestos pela sua libertação juntando nomes como Neil Gaiman, Ali Smith, Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood e Joanne Harris que de nada valeu, já que um ano depois foi sentenciado a prisão perpétua. Dias depois dessa sentença, surgiu uma carta aberta no The Guardian assinada por 38 prémios Nobel, contando do domínio da literatura com Svetlana Alexievich, JM Coetzee, Kazuo Ishiguro, Herta Müller, VS Naipaul, Wole Soyinka e Mario Vargas Llosa. Um ano meio depois, Ahmet Altan veria a pena reduzida para 10 anos. Por ter já cumprido 3 anos, seria libertado para grande regozijo internacional, mas menos de uma semana depois, a pedido do procurador, voltaria a ser preso. Altan escreveu na semana passada um artigo sobre os efeitos do COVID-19 na prisão em que ainda se encontra para o Washington Post.

[Ler com links no Blog: https://virtual-illusion.blogspot.com...]

O livro de memórias "I Will Never See the World Again" foi escrito durante os primeiros tempos de prisão, relata o momento de prisão, a espera, os julgamentos e a estadia na prisão. É um livro muito curto, focado num breve momento de vida, mas é um livro pleno de fôlego. Não existem aqui dedos em riste, acusações, existe um escritor que analisa o que sente, o que vê e como isso altera o seu interior. É uma verdadeira viagem pelo interior de alguém a quem foi retirada a liberdade, a autonomia. Altan, sem acesso a internet nem biblioteca, cita autores e frases completas de memória, dos clássicos com que vai convivendo no seu mundo interior, interagindo com autores como Dante, Homero, Tolstói ou Saramago.

Altan cita de memória Saramago — "There is no consolation, my sad friend, humans are inconsolable creatures" — a partir do livro "Jangada de Pedra" (1986:60)

O livro está escrito como momentos que se dividem em capítulos, alguns dedicados ao sentimento da prisão, injustiça e esperança outros dedicados à arte e literatura. Num desses capítulos Altan disserta sobre diferença entre os escritores do século XIX — Tolstói, Balzac, Flaubert e Dostoiévski — que qualifica de centrados nos personagens e suas emoções e os escritores do século XX —Musil, Céline ou Joyce — focados apenas nas ideias. Diz algo com que concordo, os personagens dos primeiros são mais importantes do que os seus autores, enquanto para os segundos apenas lhes interessa falar de si mesmos, servindo os seus personagens apenas de veículos.

A escrita, bagagem e visão do mundo apresentada nestas poucas linhas atraíram-me a ponto de ter começado a procurar o próximo livro do autor para ler.


Publicado no VI: https://virtual-illusion.blogspot.com...

[Corina Dabija · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Sunt un romancier care-și trăiește propriul roman. (...) Viața mea îmi imită romanul".
Ahmet Altan este un jurnalist și scriitor turc condamnat la închisoare pe viață de regimul dictatorului Erdoğan. Luându-și făgașul dintr-o familie de disidenți și intelectuali, Altan își dedică viața pentru înțelegerea pe deplin a dreptății și injustiției, fapt care îl aduce la încarcerare la vârsta de 68 de ani.

Ajuns după gratii, el face ceea ce îl definește: gândește și scrie. Volumul de eseuri "Nu voi mai vedea lumea niciodată" a luat naștere în tenebrele închisorii, dar este aidoma unei pete de lumină. Altan nu se complace în rolul de victimă, ci ne vorbește despre verticalitate, onoare într-un mare fel.

"Gândul că aș putea muri a avut asupra mea un efect liniștitor. O persoană care urmează să moară nu are motive să se teamă de vicisitudinile vieții". Și Altan nu se teme de moarte. Mai degrabă se teme de uitare, pe care o consideră cea mai mare pedeapsă pentru un scriitor. "Focul se stinge cu foc", mai spune acesta și își acceptă destinul fără pic de resemnare fariseică, înțelegând cât de firești sunt lucrurile într-o societate renegată, în care dreptatea a devenit doar un mit.

Nu uită să ne spună și despre agresivitatea cu care regimul încearcă să domolească intelectul temerar:
"Probabil că nici un alt tip de scenă nu face mai bine un individ să arate asemenea unui criminal ordinar precum cea în care este pus să înainteze într-un șir uman zdrențăros: pantaloni boțiți, maiouri jegoase, șlapi desperecheați, păr încâlcit și bărbi neîngrijite."

Există în acest jurnal al scriitorului prizonier și un optimism debordant: "Un deținut numără orice. Cu excepția timpului. Un deținut descoperă timpul."

Atunci când m-am apucat de această carte, credeam că am de a face cu o nouă autobiografie ca multe altele, apărută ca rezultatul al disperării. Mare mi-a fost mirarea să citesc un jurnal în care "respiră" un suflet erudit. Lecturile pe care și le amintește, emoțiile pe care le reflectă sunt sincere, deschise și lasă loc de meditație. Nu încearcă să fie un snob în plină victimizare, ci dimpotrivă amintește despre responsabilitatea faptelor asumate, iar cartea sa este o spovedania fără frică. Este o elegie care amintește despre faptul că nici un regim dictatorial nu reușește să închidă gura scriitorului, indiferent de cât de adâncă este temnița sa.

P. S. Cred că astfel de cărți trebuie citite de cei cu nostalgia vremurilor demult apuse, când cultul identității și puterea concentrată în mâinile unui singur "lider" dictau regulile jocului. Or, astfel de volume denotă cât de mediocre jocurile politice în fața gândirii libere.

[Ioana Idiceanu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reflecții asupra vieții și morții, gânduri eliberate de nebunia intemnițării, dar și eliberarea interioară a intemnițatului, pe nedrept închis. O carte puternică, impresionantă, care îți răscolește sufletul și îți pune în brațe sufletul celui puternic și doborât pe moment de nimicnicia celui ajuns la putere.
"Moartea stinge acel licăr. Indiferent cât de mult te pregătești pentru ceea ce va urma, când ultima pâlpâire se stinge, te simți zguduit până în străfunduri. Acela este momentul în care îți dai seama că nimeni nu poate fi vreodată complet pregătit să experimenteze deznădejdea absolută. "

[Radu Popovici · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 *

[Criveteanu Cosmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cea mai buna veste posibila, am citit ca a fost eliberat din inchisoare si achitat definitiv. Aproape ca mi-a trecut supararea ca nu s-a calificat Liverpool!!

[Viera Némethová · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahmet Altan bol zadržaný v roku 2016 a odsúdený v roku 2018 na doživotie bez možnosti predčasného prepustenia. Súd rozsudok zmenil a v júni 2018 bol prepustený na podmienku. Jeho zápisky z väzenia sú plné vnútornej sily prameniacej z rodinnej histórie, keď sa muži Altanovskej rodiny už tretiu generáciu vydávajú na cestu boja zo zlom, nespravodlivosťou, neslobodou a útlakom v Turecku. Zároveň sú aj zápiskami inteligentného muža, ktorý sa vie vo väzení tešiť so zdanlivých maličkostí ako je prianie zdravia od dozorcu, či možnosť vypožičať si knihu Kozáci od Tolstého z väzenskej knižnice.
Altan sa vo väzení stretáva s ľuďmi, ktorí nechcú svoju slobodu a možnosť nižšieho trestu vymeniť za udavačstvo.
Novinár a spisovateľ Ahmet Altan je muž literatúry a filozofie, ktoré mu umožňujú aspoň malý odstup od skepsy a bezútešnosti väzenského prostredia.

" Vyrastal som v dome plnom kníh. Počas môjho detstva vykúkali spoza každého rohu. ....Vo väzení som znášal najťažšie život v prostredí bez kníh. Čuduj sa svet, nakoniec nám predsa len dali zoznam kníh v knižnici. Pripomínal tak trocha smetisko s kde-tu zastrčenou perlou. Na zozname bolo veľa úplne nanič kníh, ale aj tituly, o ktorých by si človek nikdy nepomyslel, že ich nájde vo väzenskej knižnici. ...Keď som si už začal myslieť, že moja snaha výjde nazmar, v jedno ráno sa otvoril priezor v strede dverí a dnu mi vhodili knihu. .....Život sa zrazu úplne zmenil, prasklina v najhlbších útrobách dala do pohybu celý kontinent. V tej chvíli som viac necítil bezmocnosť, samotu, ani chaos. "

Knihy, ako ich opisuje Ahmet Altan by byť nielen vo väzenských knižniciach a mali by sa k nim dostať ľudia, ktorí strácajú vieru v spravodlivosť, dobro a slobodu, ale aj ľudia, ako ja a vy, ktorí majú to krásnu možnosť prečítať si túto knihu v pokoji, medzi blízkymi, ktorých máme radi, v prostredí, ktoré dôverne poznáme, alebo naopak na nových krásnych miestach, ktoré spoznávame, na čerstvom vzduchu. Pretože to sú naozajstné hodnoty v kontexte prežitých udalostí ľudí, ako Ahmet Altan.

[Amal Bedhyefi · Rating 4 out of 5]

" Besides, I have friends all around the world who help me travel, most of whom I have never met.
Each eye that reads what I have written, each voice that repeats my name holds my hand like a little cloud and flies me over the lowlands, the springs, the forests, the seas, the Browns and their streets. They host me quietly in their houses, in their halls, in their rooms.
I travel the whole world in a prison cell."
You should add Tunisia to the list of countries you've recently visited Mr.Altan.
I have always been fascinated by the Turkish culture, their language, their food, their tv shows and their Elif Shafak. Like everyone else, I was captivated by what they portrayed and almost forgot that there is always a hidden facet to everything beautiful.
Ahmet Altan's book reminded of the ugly side of Erdogan's regime.
" I will never see the world again" is a memoir made up of a series of essays written by Ahmet Altan, a journalist and a writer who's now imprisoned in the aftermath of the 2016 failed coup in Turkey. In fact, the book was put together thanks to notes the writer managed to smuggle to his lawyers.
Reflecting on his arrest and his experiences on the inside, Ahmet succeeded in transporting his readers to his heart wrenching new life as a writer behind bars. Beyond the horrors of prison life, Ahmet gave us valuable lessons about the resilience of the human spirit and the power of books and writing in creating freedom within one’s mind.
A must-read, especially in these challenging times when one begins to question the meaning of democracy.
In the hopes that you will see the world again, hang in there.

[Wim Oosterlinck]

Ik zal de wereld nooit meer zien is het verhaal van een politieke gevangene. De Turkse schrijver en journalist Ahmet Altan werd na de mislukte staatsgreep van 2016 in Turkije opgepakt en zit sindsdien in de cel. In dit boek uit 2018 beschrijft hij hoe hij werd gearresteerd, veroordeeld tijdens een schijnproces en opgesloten. Hij beseft dat hij nooit meer buiten komt.

Ahmet Altan slaagt erin om een indrukwekkende positiviteit te ontwikkelen vanuit zijn - letterlijk - uitzichtloze situatie. Hij gebruikt zijn verbeelding om leven te blazen in "het gestorven leven" (p. 92). Hij beschrijft hoe hij in zijn hoofd scènes maakt voor toekomstige romans, hoe hij in gedachten overal ter wereld wakker wordt, en niet in de gevangenis. De bladzijden van het manuscript voor dit boek werden door zijn advocaat uit zijn cel gesmokkeld.

Ik zal de wereld nooit meer zien is intens, beklijvend en angstwekkend. Ik kreeg het boek cadeau van Erik Vlaminck, voorzitter van PEN Vlaanderen, na onze opname voor de podcast 'drie boeken'.

Volledig leesverslag: https://wimoosterlinck.wordpress.com/...

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Încă o carte scurtă ,dar cu un foarte mare impact pe care orice om ar trebuii să o citească.
Se simte faptul că fost scrisă de un romancier cu experiență,acesta reușind să expună adevărata față a unui regim cu o foarte mare eleganță.
Este genul de carte care îi oferă cititorului multe stări,uneori dorind să continui și să tot continui(din cauza măiestriei cu care Ahmet Altan și-a țesut povestea),iar alteori îți dorești să se termine cât mai rapid.(din cauza evenimentelor expuse , evenimente care pot întrista și înfuria în egală măsură).
În concluzie,este o carte de o simplitate și eleganță cum rar îți este dat să citești.

,,Uneori Selman,tânărul meu coleg de celulă,stă de vorbă cu vecinii noștri ,pe care nu-i cunoștem.
Subiectul discuțiilor nu are importanță.
Ceea ce are importanță este conștiința faptului că dincolo de pereții celulei mai există oameni cărora le poți semnala propria ta existența" (Pag.205)

,,Faptul că un om zăvorât într-o cușcă nu găsește altceva de făcut decât să citească de ce Dumnezeu a creat răul pare a fi o fărâmă a insondabilei fățărnicii a vieții" (Pag.40)

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Schrijver Ahmet Altan is 68 jaar en zal de rest van zijn leven drieëntwintig uur per dag doorbrengen in een cel. Zoals de titel van het boek al zegt: hij zal de wereld nooit meer zien. Ik vind het ontzettend knap dat de auteur zo positief blijft, terwijl hij leeft in gevangenschap. Hij zit immers in een uitzichtloze situatie.

”Ik heb drie haltes. Of ik loop op de binnenplaats, of ik zit in mijn plastic stoel, of ik lig in mijn bed.”

Dit boek gaat niet enkel over het leven in een van Erdogans gevangenissen. Altan schrijft over hoop, literatuur, het schrijverschap, filosofie en religie. Zelf gelooft de schrijver niet in God, wat overigens tot interessante gesprekken leidt met zijn gelovige celgenoten. Vooral de manier waarop de gelovigen en de ongelovige elkaar accepteren en in hun waarde laten vind ik erg mooi. Leven in gevangenschap verbindt hen.

Korte paragrafen en vele witregels zorgen dat het boek prettig en vlot leest. De schrijfstijl is haast poëtisch en bevat vele verwijzingen naar oude verhalen, legendes, geschiedenissen, literatuur, ... - af en toe voelde het voor mij echter wel iets te zweverig.

Desalniettemin is Ik zal de wereld nooit meer zien een krachtig verhaal dat de lezer diep in het hart weet te raken. Dit is geen roman, maar iemands werkelijkheid. Dag in dag uit opgesloten zitten in een cel en dan nog zo hoopvol in het leven staan - ik doe het Ahmet Altan niet na.

Mijn complete recensie lees je op Boekvinder.be.

[Shalini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sentenced to life in prison without parole with charges of being a putschist (a word I had to look up), Altan's book of essays, smuggled page by page from prison, is a testament to the human spirit. It talks about life under despotic regimes, his love for books and the humanity that seeps through unimaginable circumstances. A must read, particularly in these disillusioning times when one begins to question democracy.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Book Box non-fiction selection.

Ahmet Altan was sentenced to life imprisonment because of his remarks during an interview. This book is not so much a memoir as mediation of what life in prison has been like so far. In the US, we do take our freedom of speech for granted, Altan's book teaches us why we shouldn't. I have not read anything by Altan before, but now I will seek out his books.