Turkish prison journal finds hope in the freedom of the mind

I Will Never See the World Again is both a haunting account of journalist and author Ahmet Altan’s trial and imprisonment and an invigorating testament to the consolations of the mind

Ahmet Altan: used the absurdity of his situation to help him survive

Memoir: I Will Never See the World Again, By Ahmet Altan, Granta, €13

In September 2016, the celebrated Turkish journalist and author Ahmet Altan was arrested and sent to prison pending trial. On the eve of the failed coup against Turkish president Recep Erdoğan’s government in July 2016, Ahmet spoke on a national TV programme. At his trial, Ahmet was charged with sending “subliminal messages” during his TV appearance that encouraged the coup.