Madonna in a Fur Coat

 I really should read more fiction as it has been told that it helps you become more empathetic, an area I feel weak in.  Charity Norman, a New Zealand novelist suggested "Madonna in a Fur Coat" was a reading she strongly enjoyed.  

In the introduction by David Selim Sayers we were told about the author, Sabahattin Ali.  What I got out of it was that all his other books had a political theme.  It was also suggested that "Madonna in a Fur Coat" was semi-autobiographical.  My belief is that every novel has something personal about it--perhaps we will never figure it out.  Picasso had said that  "Art is the lie that shows us the truth."

In real life as well as the story, a male lead travels from Turkey to Berlin for a business venture.

 To start this story, the narrator encounters Raif Effendi working as a translator in Turkey, who talks with others as little as possible.  Gradually a relationship is developed partly because Raif is ill from time to time and the narrator is required to pass on requests for translation.  At one point Raif is so ill they decided to move his office supplies to his home.  By accident the narrator picks up an unknown notebook and although very curious, does not read the content.  When he hands the notebook to Raif,  the translator becomes very flustered and says he should burn it.  The narrator encourages him not to destroy it just yet.   Raif wrote a personal story just to get it on paper, but now thought he wanted someone he trusted to perhaps understand.  The narrator is to take it back to his home and return it the next day. The notebook contained the essence of the book.

In "Madonna in a Fur Coat" Raif is sent to Berlin, Germany to learn something about the soap trade.  Wandering around on his own he enters an art gallery and  is soon mesmerized by a self portrait, "Madonna in a Fur Coat"  His steadfast interest over several days draws the attention of the artist, Maria Puder.  She later admits that she initiated a conversation to mock him.  She finds him honest and open unlike any others.  We learn she is a poor artist who lives with her mother from Prague and is also a nightclub entertainer.

They find each other easy to talk with.  She does say they are just friends and he accepts that.  Over time they spend more time with each other.  Their relationship is a bit ambiguous to us readers, but apparently they are very engrossed with one another.  All good things end and in this case Raif is notified that his father has died and he must leave.  They pledge love, not friendship, to one another and to keep in contact.

The story is not quite over, but he does end up marrying and having children.  Some of the gap is filled in when an acquaintance visits from Germany.  You, my blogger reader have been given a summary of the story, but you have to read it to get the real essence of it.

Sabahattin wrote this, his only romance in 1943.  Turkey and Germany had been allies in the First World War, but Turkey avoided an alliance in the Second World War.  The author strikes me as being anti-Fascist.

To learn about the interesting author, Charity Norman who recommended this book check http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/04/remember-me-by-charity-norman.html