“The Bastard of Istanbul,” a novel by Elif Shafak, will be the focus of a community book discussion at the Brookings Library at 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 21.

South Dakota State University’s Office of International Affairs and the South Dakota World Affairs Council are coordinating events throughout the fall to educate students and residents on the Republic of Turkey.

Christine Stewart-Nunez, assistant professor of English at SDSU who taught at Tarsus American College in Turkey, will lead the discussion about the story in the library’s Orena Cooper meeting room.

“The book is set in contemporary Turkey and the United States with complex, modern characters that many people8212;especially women8212;can relate to,” Stewart-Nunez said.

“Not only does this book teach us a lot about Turkey and some aspects of its culture, it complicates ideas about countries located in or near the Middle East, especially in regard to Islam.

“I hope readers feel a kinship to the characters or see an aspect of themselves reflected in them. By extension, I hope it opens a door to learning more about Turkey,” she said.