Cold Nights of Childhood

The narrator of Cold Nights of Childhood escapes to Berlin in search of freedom, love, and happiness, but is overcome by depression and trapped in a psychiatry clinic for five years. She explores the extremity of her inner life and the painful pleasures of memory in her unique, unstructured style.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 96 pages
Publication date: 02 February 2023
Publisher: Profile Books Ltd

In the bustling city of Istanbul, the narrator of Cold Nights of Childhood experiences the tumultuous effects of rapid change. Growing up in a nationalist, patriarchal, and technocratic society, she feels like an outsider in search of freedom, love, and happiness. Determined to escape her suffocating environment, she embarks on a journey to Berlin, where she hopes to find solace and a fresh start. However, upon her return, the weight of her past catches up with her, and she falls into a deep depression. Trapped in a psychiatry clinic for five years, she undergoes electroshock therapy and inhumane treatment, which only further exacerbates her condition. Finally, after enduring immense pain and suffering, she is released into the care of friends and family, beginning a slow and arduous journey towards recovery.

Through her unique and unstructured writing style, Tezer Özlü delves into the depths of her inner life and the bittersweet pleasures of memory. This novel, originally written in Turkish, has been translated into English for the first time by Maureen Freely, and it shares similarities with other classic works such as The Bell Jar and Good Morning, Midnight. Cold Nights of Childhood is a powerful exploration of the human condition, offering a poignant portrayal of a young woman's struggle to find her place in the world.

Weight: 84g
Dimension: 197 x 130 x 9 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781788168717
Edition number: Main - Classic Edition