On reading for myself and 'Is there anyone left who hasn't heard my voice?'

The elimination of our national team in the quarterfinals, forest fires, flood disasters, and many other negative events that marked the beginning of this week—the only bright side for me was that I was on vacation. I love taking time for myself and doing the things I've been putting off during the days I spend away from work stress, thanks to the comfort of being on holiday.

At the very top of the list of things I put off is "reading for myself." In my vocabulary, "reading for myself" means reading books or magazines outside of my profession. Since I am an academic, I spend most of my time reading books or publications in my own field.

Vacation is entirely the time for "reading for myself," and these times are priceless to me! Novels, the latest books, and magazines fill most of my suitcase; sometimes these aren't even enough, and I visit bookstores in the places I travel to or order a book I'm very curious about to my vacation spot. Although this behavior is often a subject of jokes within my family, I never mind these jokes; I just laugh and move on. I am not going to give up the pleasure of reading a book amidst the sound of waves by the seaside, accompanied by birdsong at a picnic, or on a breezy summer night just for a few jokes!

As an example of this persistence, last Tuesday, which gathered all the heat of July, I began reading Prof. Dr. Naci Görür's new book, 'Is there anyone left who hasn't heard my voice?' (Sesimi Duymayan Kaldı mı?), accompanied by the cheerful sounds of children on the beach, the hurried cries of vendors, the heated social media debates of our youth, and the grumbles of our retired uncles—complaining about everything from late trash collection to apartment noise, from the heat to mosquitoes, or from watermelons that turned out to be unripe to late dues payments.

The new book by Naci Görür, a very valuable seismologist, a meticulous researcher, and above all, a very good person, impressed me deeply. Prepared in a river-interview format and recounting Naci Görür's personal life, professional insights, and love for humanity in a sincere language, this book also shows in the background the journey of a child whose mother did not even know how to read or write, becoming one of Turkey's most important scientists by receiving an education through the opportunities provided by the Republic. Drawing a mini panorama of our recent history based on personal experiences, 'Is there anyone left who hasn't heard my voice?' is a book that our youth, in particular, should read and return to whenever they fall into despair. There are many sentences in the book that I have underlined myself. In these days when brain drain is being discussed and our youth are struggling in a swamp of pessimism, I hope this book can be a source of hope for our youth and all our people!