Today we talk about She lived to tell, a book by Suzan Nana Tarablus published with our publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author, Suzan Nana Tarablus, to get to know her better, if there has been a particular moment in her life that led her to the writing of her book She lived to tell, as well as how she describes her writing style.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- Is there a particular moment in your life that led you to the writing of your book? What was that?
As you know I am the editor-in-chief of the magazine DERGI (a sister publication of the Shalom Newspaper) and therefore I quite often encounter persons who are ready to relate the story of their life journeys. Miriam (Saltiel) Friedman was one of them. I sat with her for an interview for my magazine. As soon as I listened to her, I decided that this narrative would not fit into a narrow interview and stated that it needed to be published as a book so that it could be directed to a wider readership. But Mimica was vey ill and she insisted that she wanted top see her story printed before she died. So we made a deal with her. It was a tough deal: She would put her feet on solid ground and take good care of herself and I promised to act quickly. Thanks God, both of us honoured the deal. I compiled the long conversations we had throughout the previous summer into the book, “She lived to Tell”, and delivered it to her a week before her bithday, November 6th, 2022. On her birthday, she and her daughter Judy, gave me a surprise: The cover of our book was on her cake and we blew out the candles together. Two weeks after the celebration, Mimica, the witness of my book, passed away. I placed the book next to her before her grave was closed.
- What characteristics your audience should have to appreciate your book?
I believe that Miriam Saltiel Friedman’s sincere narrative, which is a poignant journey into the untold history of exiles, migrations, and silent sufferings in the Balkans during the transformative years of World Wars I and II. Later in Turkey, it is full of survival and clinging to life, separations, happiness as well as pain , which are very valuable for witnessing history.
- What was the first book you read and what did it teach you?
The first stories of my chidhood were my paternal grandmother’s narratives. What she told me as stories were what our ancestors had experienced: How they left behind all their belongings from the Iberian Peninsula during the Inquisition and boarded Ottoman galleons… How they tried to establish a new life in Constantinople… These were the fist stories I was told. She descibed it with such vivid narrations that I thought she had made all those journeys herself. I owe a lot to my grandmother’s storytelling, whose memory I cherish.
- How would you describe your writing style?
With my almost 40 years of journalistic experience I write my articles and books in the concept of oral history studies. I believe countries have generally filled their history with victories and washed it with rose water. I also believe that when history is rewritten, very valuable, more realistic individual witnesses will take priority. As much as I can I will include testimonies that shed light on history in my works.
- Are you working on a new writing project?
Yes, I am working on a new book: I hope my sixth book will will see the light of day within the coming year.
Europe Books thanks the author, Suzan Nana Tarablus, once again for taki Suzan Nana Tarablus ng the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside her on the editorial path that led to the publication of her book She lived to tell. We wish her the best of luck for her future works.
To you, my readers, I hope the book provides you with interest information which capture your interest and curiosity! At the same time it will offer you food for thoughts to reflect upon.
So, my dear reader, all I have to say is to enjoy your reading!
Your editor!