The Royal Society of Literature (RSL) is thrilled to announce its new President is novelist and storyteller Elif Shafak. Shafak replaces Bernardine Evaristo OBE whose four-year term came to its end at the RSL’s Annual General Meeting on 4 December.
Founded in 1820, the RSL acts as a voice for the value of literature, honouring and supporting emerging and established writers whilst creating a bridge between authors and audiences to engage as many people as possible with the breadth of UK literature. The President is a figurehead for the RSL, elected from the Fellowship to serve a term of four years. The President acts as an Ambassador for the Society and its overall mission – the advancement of literature – but does not serve as a trustee of the Council (board).
Elif Shafak said: ‘I am deeply honoured and excited to become the new President of the Royal Society of Literature—a much-loved cultural and literary institution with over 200 years of history and tradition, supporting writers, poets, playwrights, literary critics, librarians, translators and readers of all backgrounds. In an increasingly turbulent and harsh world where many in the industry feel lonely, and where there are too many challenges against writers, poets, and all those who have dedicated their lives to the written word, we must regard this as a much-needed sanctuary, an oasis, a space of togetherness, empathy, inspiration and creativity. I sincerely look forward to working closely with everyone to build bridges and spread the love of literature.’
Bernardine Evaristo said: ‘Elif Shafak is a terrifically inspired choice as the next President of the Royal Society of Literature. A global bestseller with a renowned reputation as a writer, intellectual and public speaker, she is a longstanding advocate for literature and the power of storytelling to bridge differences and illuminate multiple perspectives. Generous and compassionate, wise and simply brilliant, her appointment marks an exciting moment for the Society. I think it’s wonderful that she will be the new figurehead for the Society and I wish her all the very best for the next four years ahead.’
Ruth Scurr said: ‘As Chair of the Trustees of the Royal Society of Literature, I am absolutely delighted that Elif Shafak has been elected as our next President. Shafak is a much-loved writer of national and international acclaim, whose award-winning work has been translated into fifty-eight languages. She has been a Vice President of the RSL since 2020. Shafak is passionate about standing up for the value of literature and I look forward enormously to working with her to further the RSL’s charitable purposes.’
Elif Shafak is an award-winning British-Turkish novelist and storyteller, and author of 21 books, 13 of which are novels. Her works have been translated into 58 languages.
The Island of Missing Trees was a finalist for the Costa Award, British Book Awards, RSL Ondaatje Prize and Women’s Prize for Fiction and was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick. 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and RSL Ondaatje Prize; and was Blackwell’s Book of the Year. The Forty Rules of Love was chosen by BBC among the 100 Novels that Shaped Our World. The Architect’s Apprentice was chosen for The Queen’s Reading Room.
Shafak holds a PhD in political science and she has taught at various universities in Turkey, the US and the UK, including St Anne’s College, Oxford University, where she is an honorary fellow. She also holds an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Bard College. Shafak is a Fellow and a Vice President of the Royal Society of Literature and has been chosen among BBC’s 100 most inspiring and influential women. An advocate for women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights and freedom of expression, she is an inspiring public speaker and twice TED Global speaker. She was awarded the medal of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and is the recipient of the Halldór Laxness International Literature Prize for her contribution to ‘the renewal of the art of storytelling’. In 2024, Shafak was awarded the British Academy President’s Medal for ‘her excellent body of work which demonstrates an incredible intercultural range’.
