About This Booker Prize-Shortlisted Novel

10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World opens with Tequila Leila lying dead on the outskirts of Istanbul. Her heart has stopped, but her brain remains active for exactly 10 minutes and 38 seconds. In those final moments, her consciousness floods with vivid memories—childhood in a conservative family, escape to Istanbul’s streets, painful betrayals, fierce friendships, and the chosen family who gave her life meaning.

Elif Shafak crafts an intimate, powerful portrait of a sex worker whose humanity shines through every recalled moment. The novel gives voice to marginalized communities with extraordinary empathy and dignity, exploring themes of memory, survival, friendship, and social exclusion.

Why This Novel Matters

• Booker Prize Recognition: Shortlisted 2019 for one of literature’s most prestigious awards
• Innovative Narrative: Unique structure exploring consciousness at the moment of death
• Istanbul Come Alive: The city becomes a vivid, breathing character
• Social Commentary: Powerful tribute to outsiders and found family
• International Acclaim: By award-winning British-Turkish novelist translated into 50+ languages

Book Specifications

Author: Elif Shafak
Publisher: Penguin Books
Published: 2019
Pages: 320
Binding: Paperback
ISBN: 9780241293874
Language: English
Condition: Quality used book