Spring is always good news—even the mention of its name is enough to make one smile. To quote the song “Bahar” composed by Candan Erçetin based on a poem by Ayşe Kulin, the guest on this issue's cover: Spring is the heralder of beautiful, hopeful days when all our branches are specked with buds and we can breathe the fresh air, waking up each day feeling happy for no reason. April may be the cruellest of months but we want May to be the happiest. Let's take a look at books that tell stories of goodness.
On Kindness
Barbara Taylor
Psychoanalyst Adam Phillips and historian Barbara Taylor delve into the dark corners of human spirit and try to understand why we find kindness disturbing. Touching upon the subjects of passion, jealousy, and personal interest, the book outlines a striking anatomy of kindness. If, as they say, goodness and kindness can make our lives beautiful, then why do we stray away from these concepts? We used to believe doing good things so good things will happen to us. Has this been replaced by a selfish approach? In fact, caring about others is not just a condition to be happy; we should care about all creatures with which we share this life for the very sake of our survival.
The Penguin Lessons
Tom Michell
The Penguin Lessons tells the story of a young man and a penguin. Is it strange? Actually, it’s not that different from owning a pet dog or a cat. In his 20s, author Tom Michell goes on a journey to South America in search of adventure and starts teaching at a prestigious school in Argentina. So far, it may sound like the ordinary life story of a young Westerner; however, the story changes when Michell finds an oil-covered penguin on the beach and saves its life. This penguin, which Michell named Juan Salvador, decides not to leave this human who saved his life. Our author returns to school with the penguin. It’s a magical story based on reality which shows thehealing and pure influence of goodness, not just between people but among all creatures.
The Soul of an Octopus
Sy Montgomery
We’re now aware that planet Earth does not solely belong to us humans; we share the earth, water, and air with animals and plants and co-exist with a deep connection. In her book, Sy Montgomery tells us how a creature that was usually portrayed as a monster in books and films for a long time is indeed highly intelligent and sentient. It shows how most of the characteristics we deem to be exclusive to ourselves and often make us forget that we’re animals of some kind and not members of a superior species, are actually something we have in common with an octopus. Just like us and our children, they can feel happiness, play games, and can be friendly to others. Besides, there are moments when it can be more intelligent than humans. With the ability to feel pain as well as happiness, it’s a species that should not be cruelly hunted and sliced up to be served on tables but instead should be cherished to share this world and life, as equals.
İyilik Güzellik
Ece Temelkuran
We’ve missed both goodness and niceties for so long and have had to tolerate life without them, much like unrequited love, that we were first angry at each other and then at ourselves. This is where Ece Temelkuran begins her book “We’re distracted by many things these days,” she says, “we’ve stopped multiplying and instead got offended with one another.” But a flower is not offended by life—neither do animals or the sun. In fact, they invite us to their cycles and want us to be a part of “it.” Written to spite those who wish to silence us, take our lives under siege, and forces us to live in darkness, the book believes that good will defeat evil. “Fascism is not when the bad guys come one night and starts killing the good guys, one by one; it’s a process of decaying, slowly and invisibly. The idea of humanity is not defeated by evil, not suddenly on one day. It is forced to take position in a castle and then sieged. The same thing happens at every castle that’s under siege. Famine begins and is soon followed by contagious diseases. Since our intellectual world is under siege, it’s poisoning itself. This seems pathetic to me. I think this is how evil conquers good. And this is why I wrote this book.” As she says, this book is written in the belief of good against evil, against all odds, and is intended to be read so.