Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature
'Saturated with sympathy and sense of place, the book charts a boy's journey into manhood and Turkey's into irreversible change' Financial Times
'An ending that makes you immediately start the book all over again.' The Sunday Times
'Enchanting.' Wall Street Journal
'Many years have now gone by, and jealousy compels me to keep her name a secret, even from my readers. But I must provide a full and truthful account of what happened.'
A studious young man spends a summer helping a master well-digger search for water on a barren plain.
As the two struggle in the summer heat, they develop a filial bond neither has known before. In the nearby town where they spend their evenings, a travelling theatre group has come to stay. The young man is fascinated by the Red-Haired Woman, an alluring member of the troupe, and their brief but intense love affair drives everything else from his mind.
But in his distraction, a horrible accident occurs, which will haunt him for thirty years. Until he decides to track down the Red-Haired Woman and finally understand the fallout from that unforgettable summer . . .