Add Prime to get Fast, Free delivery

Available instantly

Audiobook
$0.99
with membership

Hardcover
$65.61

Paperback
$11.89

$65.61

FREE Returns

FREE delivery Tuesday, April 29. Order within 6 hrs 55 mins

Only 1 left in stock - order soon.

$$65.61 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Ships from

Amazon

Sold by

DeSa Books USA

Returns

30-day refund/replacement

Payment

Secure transaction

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

$58.37

FREE Returns

A readable copy. All pages are intact and the cover is intact. Dust jacket may be missing. Pages can include considerable highlighting markings writing but cannot obscure the text. May be an Ex-lib. copy and have standard library stamps and or stickers. May NOT include discs or access code or other supplemental material. Ships directly from Amazon and is eligible for Prime or super saver FREE shipping. A readable copy. All pages are intact and the cover is intact. Dust jacket may be missing. Pages can include considerable highlighting markings writing but cannot obscure the text. May be an Ex-lib. copy and have standard library stamps and or stickers. May NOT include discs or access code or other supplemental material. Ships directly from Amazon and is eligible for Prime or super saver FREE shipping. See less

FREE delivery Monday, April 28. Order within 10 mins

Only 1 left in stock - order soon.

$$65.61 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Sold by 2nd Life Books ✅ and Fulfilled by Amazon.

Add to List

Added to

Unable to add item to List. Please try again.

Other sellers on Amazon

New & Used (17) from $4.38 + $3.99 shipping

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Color:

To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

Elif Shafak

Follow

10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World Hardcover – January 1, 2019

by Elif Shafak (Author)

10,579 ratings

See all formats and editions

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$65.61","priceAmount":65.61,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"65","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"61","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"z2%2FDX49fPIdu8N92M2Z0TQmAIZs97sIvaQuBYB5wJUk%2FylAmXCfxK%2B7Fedmql4tjvo31piLWxGWVkvP6%2FosOMfW1qk4TLM7jX1vmPHkVwtSTlCDRpFnaL2Aj86Jnd7Y3dHg%2Fd1IxBLr6xweTWMHytYmxUW7Ov4V%2B6EB6dye%2BS%2FRPCvktarZngRIOV%2B3Fidod","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$58.37","priceAmount":58.37,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"58","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"37","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"z2%2FDX49fPIdu8N92M2Z0TQmAIZs97sIvS53sOQqgw4l6XWjupRYJywIBgfgSeLVFdwbHvYEs9Y291R5kEI5ucz3TBgcp94paJ7bIZyyPcwWa9nk5m%2FmNwJZxFud%2BNMCY7fHUdoQ76YNsNHPJH9jjzf2qGIs%2FWQiGZQYTZb4HJVMEOZ40TR5ZYCVr4oT2WlP7","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

nan

From the Publisher

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Viking (January 1, 2019)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 312 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0241293863
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0241293867
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.43 x 1.06 x 8.03 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,703,657 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews:
10,579 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Elif Shafak

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Elif Shafak is an award-winning British-Turkish novelist and storyteller. She has published 21 books, 13 of which are novels and her books have been translated into 58 languages. The Island of Missing Trees was a finalist for the Costa Award, British Book Awards, RSL Ondaatje Prize and Women’s Prize for Fiction and was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick. 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and RSL Ondaatje Prize; and was Blackwell’s Book of the Year. The Forty Rules of Love was chosen by BBC among the 100 Novels that Shaped Our World. The Architect’s Apprentice was chosen for The Queen’s Reading Room. Shafak holds a PhD in political science and she has taught at various universities in Turkey, the US and the UK, including St Anne's College, Oxford University, where she is an honorary fellow. She also holds an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Bard College. Shafak is a Fellow and a Vice President of the Royal Society of Literature and has been chosen among BBC’s 100 most inspiring and influential women. An advocate for women's rights, LGBTQ+ rights and freedom of expression, Shafak is an inspiring public speaker and twice TED Global speaker. She contributes to major publications around the world and she was awarded the medal of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In 2017 she was chosen by Politico as one of the twelve people “who will give you a much-needed lift of the heart”. She has judged numerous literary prizes, including The PEN Nabokov Prize and has chaired the Wellcome Prize. Shafak is the recipient of the Halldór Laxness International Literature Prize for her contribution to "the renewal of the art of storytelling". In 2024, Shafak was awarded the British Academy President's Medal for "her excellent body of work which demonstrates an incredible intercultural range". Her Substack is called "Unmapped Storylands".

Related products with free delivery on eligible orders

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1

Sponsored | Try Prime for unlimited fast, free shipping

Feedback

Frank R. Cole

Paperback

$16.99
Feedback

E Nigma

Paperback

$16.99
Feedback

Amanda Hanono Pero

Paperback

$13.00
Feedback

Belle Jones

Paperback

$19.99
Feedback

Cedric Nowatzyk

Paperback

$5.99
Feedback

Kristin Keskey

Paperback

$11.99
Feedback

Lara Namaskar

Paperback

$19.61

Customer reviews

10,579 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Review this product

Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers praise the book's unique storytelling style, with one noting it's a beautiful blend of heartache and hope. Moreover, the writing is beautifully crafted with vivid imagery through speech, and customers appreciate how it provides a different perspective on life and culture. The characters are well-developed, and customers find it thought-provoking and emotionally engaging. However, the pacing receives mixed reviews, with several customers finding the Five section slow.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

Storytelling style Readability Writing quality Life affirming Character development Romance Strength Pacing

53 customers mention "Storytelling style"46 positive7 negative

Customers appreciate the storytelling style of the book, describing it as beautiful and fascinating, with one customer noting it's a unique blend of heartache and hope.

"There is so much filled in this tale of fiction that weaves so much history, and sadness- particuarly when one realizes this area from which the..." Read more

"This is a stunningly lyrical, yet down-to-earth elegy to a woman, Leila, who grew up mired in a society rife with oppression and injustice toward..." Read more

"...Each actor is fully developed with recognizable personalities, special backstories, and are richly presented in the individual space allotted...." Read more

"...It should also be a favorite to win. Leila’s life story is moving and tragic. It is also life affirming...." Read more

45 customers mention "Readability"45 positive0 negative

Customers find the book captivating and worth reading, with one mentioning it was a complete surprise.

"...I think this is her best book...." Read more

"This novel has a very captivating and fresh start and the first half is a pageturner...." Read more

"...The entire book is extraordinary. When you start reading this book, you will not be able to close it to sleep, to eat, to breathe." Read more

"So good!" Read more

39 customers mention "Writing quality"39 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, noting its beautiful descriptions and poetic style, with one customer highlighting how the author uses vivid imagery through speech.

"...She is a great author with full of similes and metaphors and deep insight. This was a joy to stumble upon." Read more

"This is a stunningly lyrical, yet down-to-earth elegy to a woman, Leila, who grew up mired in a society rife with oppression and injustice toward..." Read more

"...penultimate chapter that closes with “free at last,” Shafak’s prose captivates with fluid transitions in time and milieu...." Read more

"...one of the few bright spots in this novel, and, although it is beautifully written, this novel does not offer hope for Turkey’s progress...." Read more

23 customers mention "Life affirming"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and life-affirming, providing real insights into different cultures. One customer describes it as a fabulous journey of mind and spirit, while another notes its deep understanding of the human condition.

"...But they are brimming with humanity, sass, and inner strength and that's what shines through. Now that I have finished the book, I will miss them all." Read more

"...Leila’s life story is moving and tragic. It is also life affirming. There is much realism here with a skillfully created group of characters...." Read more

"...Her view of humanity, and especially of those who are in the margins, is outstanding." Read more

"...At its foundation, this is the life (and after death) story of a warmhearted woman and her quirky band of close friends...." Read more

21 customers mention "Character development"18 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the well-developed characters in the book.

"...The author fleshes out each character fully...each is imperfect, like all of us, scarred in different ways by the struggles and hardships they have..." Read more

"...Each actor is fully developed with recognizable personalities, special backstories, and are richly presented in the individual space allotted...." Read more

"...There is much realism here with a skillfully created group of characters...." Read more

"...Elif Shafak brings life and light to her characters and as usual I jumped into the story as a witness and observer..." Read more

9 customers mention "Romance"9 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the romance in the book, with one customer describing it as emotionally riveting and another noting how lovely it is to be in Elif's world.

"...Leila, is the primary actor in this alternatingly violent, loving, oppressive tale...." Read more

"Thoroughly enjoyed this book. It addresses cruelty, love and acceptance among an out cast community...." Read more

"This was a wonderful book that touched on spirituality, friendship, love, shame, and life...." Read more

"...It has been a wild journey, these pages and it was again lovely to be in Elif’s world." Read more

8 customers mention "Strength"8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's strength, with multiple reviews noting its excellent condition, and one customer highlighting its beautiful portrayal of tenacity and perseverance.

"...and built something else- but this tale is superb, and crafted so well. I think this is her best book...." Read more

"...But they are brimming with humanity, sass, and inner strength and that's what shines through. Now that I have finished the book, I will miss them all." Read more

"The book is in a great condition. Haven't finished it yet but looks very promising as I couldn't stop reading the moment I took it." Read more

"...how Shafak gave the marginalized a voice and also demonstrated through their stories the strength that it takes to overcome the obstacles that they..." Read more

13 customers mention "Pacing"8 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some appreciating its informative glimpse into Istanbul, while others find it too meandering, particularly noting that the portion with the Five is slow.

"...It is also an elegy to the city of Istanbul with all its beauty and its problems. This is a Booker longlisted title and fully deserves to be..." Read more

"...Shafak writes beautiful sentences, but I found the novel to be too meandering and slow-paced to truly hold my interest...." Read more

"Elif Shafak, a Turkish-British author, has written a superb novel centered in Istanbul...." Read more

"...-- or humanity in too many parts of the world-- but also an informative glimpse of at least one side of Istanbul...." Read more

Reviews with images

See all photos

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

James FranKOOK
What a prosaic author
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2023
Verified Purchase

There is so much filled in this tale of fiction that weaves so much history, and sadness- particuarly when one realizes this area from which the author has set the scenery- a land that was somewhat a meeting of two worlds, where warlords usurped people who had been there for centuries and built something else; alongside a faith- one gets a peak into the window- istanbul. Her story crafts for the western reader a reality not known, a harshness of a male oriented society - people in the west thing they have it bad- but even where prostitutes have rights- its not anywhere on the scale of where this story is set. Being a historical buff; her stories echoes the sentiments of tragedy- tragedy is a symptom of such dogma and that dogma entrenched is where the protagonist is. It is the most unfortunate thing to be born a women in the middle of the east asia, most certainly, where nomads and warlords of unspeakable cruelty removed greek civilization and built something else- but this tale is superb, and crafted so well. I think this is her best book. I am starting to read the others- Turkey besides the Azeri state- locks up a significant amount of journalism, so pleasant to read her insights crafted into fiction but truth underlying the dark belly of the holy piety of this city so attributed, but so far from attained . She is a great author with full of similes and metaphors and deep insight. This was a joy to stumble upon.

Read more

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Sen Peng Eu
Captivating first half, weak second half.
Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2024
Verified Purchase
This novel has a very captivating and fresh start and the first half is a pageturner. However the second half loses its momentum and the ending is poor and loose. I'd be more satisfying if the book just stopped in 10'38''. In the second half not only does the plot lose its momentum, but it seems as though the author intentionally attempts to relate the tragic personal story of our protagonist with the history of Istanbul, which is unnecessary to me.

Read more

Helpful

Report
D. Burke
This is not a downer about death...it is a beautiful book about tenacity, love, and compassion
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2020
Verified Purchase
This is a stunningly lyrical, yet down-to-earth elegy to a woman, Leila, who grew up mired in a society rife with oppression and injustice toward women (as so many are), but who would let the painful circumstances of her life break or embitter her. In the 10 minutes and 38 seconds after she has been murdered (no spoiler here; the book opens with this), her final lingering thoughts and memories bring to life the story a girl who whose fate was sealed, simply by being borne a female in a extremely patriarchal culture that relegated women to being breeders and handmaidens, unless they dared to escape, at their own peril. Leila's last few memories of her life's trajectory until that moment in time in turn brings to life the many women who were her devoted friends. Like Leila, they had faced hardships, oppression, and ostracism, and followed paths that led them to their destinies and to each other. They found their place in a treacherous world and made the most of it. Leila and every one of these women (and one man who never forgot or stopped loving his childhood friend), and the city and culture they live in, are brought to vivid life. They have all suffered and struggled, they have all been living on the edge, and in a chronic state of dodging danger, deprivation, dejection, and rejection. But they were all wonderful and brave in their own right, and devoted to Leila and each other. The author fleshes out each character fully...each is imperfect, like all of us, scarred in different ways by the struggles and hardships they have faced..and always will face. But they are brimming with humanity, sass, and inner strength and that's what shines through. Now that I have finished the book, I will miss them all.

Read more

20 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Parrott
In Carrying Leila to the Afterlife, Water Proves Stronger than Blood
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2020
Verified Purchase
From the story’s four-word opening sentence introducing Leila until the penultimate chapter that closes with “free at last,” Shafak’s prose captivates with fluid transitions in time and milieu. Leila, is the primary actor in this alternatingly violent, loving, oppressive tale. In her dying minutes, Leila cannot complete her story without revealing each player who had a significant effect on the situations in which she found herself, the choices she made, and the risks she undertook. Each actor is fully developed with recognizable personalities, special backstories, and are richly presented in the individual space allotted. Some are not sympathetic characters. The few walk-ons are essential to advancing the plot. Seemingly, one special person is not given enough space; but, it proves to be a rational literary decision. The significant friends have dedicated chapters that explain their connections to Leila and each other. The entire book is extraordinary. When you start reading this book, you will not be able to close it to sleep, to eat, to breathe.

Read more

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

Meryem Kastalli
Bad product
Reviewed in the United Arab Emirates on January 11, 2022
Verified Purchase

Many pages aren’t printed, never experienced anything like it before

Read more
Report
lizzie89
J'ai beaucoup aimé
Reviewed in France on May 29, 2020
Verified Purchase
Un très beau livre par cet auteur. Je ne suis jamais déçue par ses livres.

Read more
Report
Translate review to English
Hutch
Top 10 books in the world
Reviewed in Australia on February 20, 2025
Verified Purchase
In my top 10 books

Read more
Report
Ak
Excelente libro
Reviewed in Mexico on August 28, 2024
Verified Purchase
Muy bueno, te transporta a Estambul, y te llena de emociones

Read more
Report
Translate review to English
Bodhisattya Pal
A Brutal yet Beautiful Brilliance!
Reviewed in India on April 22, 2020
Verified Purchase
Leila Tequila's body has been left in the dumpster after murder; her heart gave up but her mind was in transition from the day of her birth to the day of being murdered for another 10 minutes 38 seconds! Haven't come across such an original & intriguing premise for a long.

Born into 'not a normal family', Leila's childhood was as normal as a Turkish muslim girl. An over fanatic father, an incoherent mother and an eerie aunt full of secret. Everything was quite fine untill her body & mind gained maturity.

"Little did she yet understand that the end of childhood comes not when a child’s body changes with puberty, but when her mind is finally able to see her life through the eyes of an outsider."

Leila's interest towards western culture was growing and then a tragedy appeared. Not a sudden one, but a gradual one. Which finally lead Leila to left her conservative family & she ended up in Istanbul where generally all the soul with dreams use to end up.

Every seconds after her heart stopped was bringing a plethora of memories, linked with a particular taste or fragrance. Everything was in front of her eye, clear & coherent. The memory exposed the story how she ended up in a brothel, how she found her five friends, how she met D/Ali; how she dreamt & how her dreams drained out inchmeal.

The novel is absolutely muti dimensional. Firstly its a beautiful yet brutal poetry of dreams and memories. A heart broken story of the society's answer to a girl who dreamt to cross the border, to be something. It's not just Turkey, or the middle east, it's universal.
Leila's father was the representative of the fundamentalist world, where women have been ill treated everytime, in their house or out of their house. Sometime a brothel, a hawk eyed society or a house with forced marriage not really meant any difference.

Shafak also highlighted the sexual violence of Turkey. Unfortunately she has to face legal enquiry for this. That's shame for the literature & humanity too.

The second part of the novel revolved around Leila's five friend. A Somalian victim of trafficking, a transgender, a Lebanese dwarf, a Mesopotamian singer - all four women and a man from Van, Leila's childhood friend. They had one thing in common - somehow they are more or less unnatural‌ & undesirable in the eyes of society. The novel portrayed a beautiful image of unconditional friendship. They all are strikingly different from each other, still they are most close to each other.

"They were more vulnerable on their own; together, they stronger."

The story was belong to the city Istanbul, as much as Leila. Elif Shafak showed her passion for the city through her magical writing. She imagined Istanbul as an “..illusion. A magician’s trick gone wrong.”
Sometime as a liquid city not yet solidified. She gave a feminine soul to Istanbul & ironically described how it have been humiliated by the phreneticness & violence.

The novel handled the conflict of religion & modernity masterfully. We can experience Zayneb122 & Nostalgia Nalan's peaceful coexistence, one highly bigot & other one quite infidel. Also the 'Cemetry of Companionless' hold a special meaning, indicating the pain of solitariness.

D/Ali - an attractive artist character with an anti-fascist mind & comrade spirit & off course the love interest of Leila. His appearance indicate that even those with worst of fortune can feel the taste of love sometime.

I am literally hypnotized by Elif Shafak's writting style. Her magical, mystic lyricism made this novel a magnum opus. The writing has a sedative effect, neonish glow & sensational appeal. Satisfying structure, intellectual storytelling & the depth of emotion made this novel other worldly beautiful.
Actually apart from the main novel, the dedication part & the Thanksgiving part are equally magical.

"To the women of Istanbul, and the city of Istanbul, which is, and has always been, a she-city"

and

"After all, boundaries of the mind mean nothing for women who continue to sing songs of freedom under the moonlight..."

You can sense it's brilliance just from these two lines.

We can get some unforgettable characters here, Leila's eerie aunt, Leila's best friend Nostalgia Nalan & more. Character building & their motives were decent enough. Though I find Sinan's character building little weird, starting as a promising boy but finishing like a pretentious man.

The Blue Betta fish summarize the focal theme of the novel. This indicated the singularity of life. In that magic realistic scene, the fish asked, "What took you so long?" - brings the concept of 'Maya' or 'Cosmic illusion' in front of the reader.

"Her mother had once told her that childhood was a big, blue wave that lifted you up, carried you forth and, just when you thought it would last forever, vanished from sight. You could neither run after it nor bring it back. But the wave, before it disappeared, left a gift behind – a conch shell on the shore. Inside the seashell were stored all the sounds of childhood."

Not only childhood, all the sounds of a whole life stored in the brain of a dead body, in the memories of the near ones, in the bustle of this strange world. Beside everything, I find this novel as a memorandum of memories & transition of soul finding relevance of life. A brutal yet beautiful brilliance!

Must Read, Full Five Star & infinity!

Read more
Report

See more reviews

Amazon Prime Free Trial

Sorry, there was a problem.

Sorry, there was a problem.

Follow the author

10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World Hardcover – January 1, 2019

Purchase options and add-ons

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

From the Publisher

Product details

Videos

About the author

Elif Shafak

Related products with free delivery on eligible orders

Customer reviews

Review this product

Customers say

Select to learn more

Images in this review

Reviews with images

Odd

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

5.0 out of 5 stars What a prosaic author

4.0 out of 5 stars Captivating first half, weak second half.

5.0 out of 5 stars This is not a downer about death...it is a beautiful book about tenacity, love, and compassion

5.0 out of 5 stars In Carrying Leila to the Afterlife, Water Proves Stronger than Blood

Top reviews from other countries

1.0 out of 5 stars Bad product

5.0 out of 5 stars J'ai beaucoup aimé

5.0 out of 5 stars Top 10 books in the world

5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente libro

5.0 out of 5 stars A Brutal yet Beautiful Brilliance!

What a prosaic author

Captivating first half, weak second half.

This is not a downer about death...it is a beautiful book about tenacity, love, and compassion

In Carrying Leila to the Afterlife, Water Proves Stronger than Blood

Bad product

J'ai beaucoup aimé

Top 10 books in the world

Excelente libro

A Brutal yet Beautiful Brilliance!