Orhan Pamuk's novel 'Snow' auctioned at Christie’s

Razi Canikligil NEW YORK

Orhan Pamuk’s latest novel 'Kafamda Bir Tuhaflık' (A Strangeness in My Mind), will hit the shelves in Turkey next week.

The first edition of Turkish Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk’s most popular novel in the U.S., "Kar" (Snow), was purchased for $13,000 at an auction held by Christie’s in New York on Dec. 2. The auction was organized to benefit the PEN American Center in New York.

In the auction titled “First Editions/Second Thoughts,” authors made notations and drawings in first editions of their works by hand. Some messages explain their intent or their process, while other times just a feeling about the work was expressed by the authors. Pamuk chose to participate by making two drawings of the eastern Turkish province of Kars, where the novel is set. The drawings were included in the first edition of the novel in the U.S.

The record for the auction was broken by Philip Roth’s “American Pastoral,” which was sold for $80,000. Other high prizes were paid for Don Denillo’s “Underworld” ($57,000), Shirin Neshat’s “Untitled Detroit” ($17,000), Toni Morrison’s “Beloved New York” ($19,000) and Marina Abramovic’s “Dream Book” ($14,000).

More than $900,000 was raised during the auction.

New novel due next week

Pamuk’s newest novel “Kafamda Bir Tuhaflık,” which can be translated as “Peculiarity in My Mind,” though no official English title has been announced yet, will hit the market on Dec. 9.

The 480-page novel will be published by Yapı Kredi Publications and is about the life of a “boza” (a Turkish-style malted corn or wheat beverage) vendor who lives in Istanbul.