A Soul Adventure (Book)

A Soul’s Adventure is an autobiographical work written in interview format that explores the life, intellectual transformation, and inner journey of Turkish writer and screenwriter Ayşe Şasa. The book was first published in 2001. Ayşe Şasa’s lifelong search for identity, her experiences within the artistic community, and her spiritual transformation form the core of the narrative.

The book is structured around interviews conducted by journalist and writer Cem Erciyes, presenting its content through a question-and-answer format. Within this framework, Ayşe Şasa reveals key turning points in both her personal life and intellectual world to the reader.

Subject and Structure

Autobiographical Narrative

The work examines the cultural and psychological processes Ayşe Şasa experienced from childhood onward. It details her prominent role in Turkish cinema during the 1960s and 1970s, her period of illness, and the spiritual orientation that followed. While centering on an individual life story, the book also reflects the social and cultural atmosphere of its time.

Interview Format

A Soul’s Adventure departs from classical autobiographical narrative by adopting the interview format. This approach allows the author to express her life experiences in her own words. The questions included in the book thematically organize different periods, events, and shifts in thought throughout Ayşe Şasa’s life.

Transformation and Spirituality

Mental crises, attraction to Western thought, psychological struggles, and the resulting breakdowns play a significant role in Ayşe Şasa’s life story. The book recounts how, after these crises, she encountered Sufism and reconstructed her worldview through a spiritual perspective.