The Naive and the Sentimental Novelist

What happens within us when we read a novel? And how does a novel create its unique effects, so distinct from those of a painting, a film or a poem?


In this inspired, thoughtful and deeply personal set of essays, based on the talks he delivered at Harvard University as part of the distinguished Norton Lecture series, Pamuk presents a comprehensive and provocative theory of the novel and the experience of reading. Drawing on Friedrich Schiller’s famous distinction between naïve writers—those who write spontaneously—and sentimental writers—those who are reflective and aware—Pamuk reveals two unique ways of processing and composing the written word. He takes us through his own literary journey and the beloved novels of his youth to describe the singular experience of reading. Unique, nuanced, and passionate, this book will be beloved by readers and writers alike.