The Backstory

SEARCHING FOR SABIHA grew out of an often frustrating odyssey to unravel a mystery: why was my pioneering, freedom-fighting Turkish grandmother so radioactive that her relatives shunned her while they revered my grandfather, Sabiha’s publishing partner. In time, I realized that Sabiha also was a historical pariah, with her achievements buried under controversies.

 

The breakthrough came when I had Sabiha's memoir Roman Gibi (Like a Novel) translated into English. The new title: The Struggle for Modern Turkey: Justice, Activism and a Revolutionary Female Journalist.

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The Preface I wrote for the translation introduces readers to Sabiha's story and captures the unlikely tale of how her American granddaughter unearthed the truth.