The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Safak
A native of Armenia, Armanoush feels that she is missing part of her identity living in San Francisco and has to travel back to Turkey to begin living. In Istanbul, Asya is a nineteen-year-old woman who lives within an extended family of women who are passionate about Jonny Cash. A secret connection that ties the Bastard of Istanbul to a violent event in their homeland’s history is revealed in The Bastard of Istanbul. A poignant, exuberant novel about memory, forgetting, examining and erasing the past, and Turkey in general, this book is full of humor and understanding.
