The Royal Society of Literature (RSL) has appointed acclaimed British-Turkish novelist, essayist and public intellectual Elif Shafak, the author of 21 books including The Bastard of Istanbul and 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World , as its new president.

She succeeds Bernardine Evaristo, the Booker–winning British author of Girl, Woman, Other , whose four-year term concluded at the Society’s Annual General Meeting.

On her appointment, Shafak said , “I am deeply honoured and excited to become the new President of the Royal Society of Literature—a much-loved cultural and literary institution with over 200 years of history and tradition… I sincerely look forward to working closely with everyone to build bridges and spread the love of literature.”

Founded in 1820, the RSL is

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