Award-winning British-Turkish author Elif Shafak has announced her latest literary work, In One Brief Moment All Eternity, a sweeping novel that bridges Western prose and Eastern poetry. Viking has acquired the UK and Commonwealth rights to the book, with John Freeman at Knopf securing US rights. The novel is scheduled for publication in hardback, e-book, and audiobook formats on October 15, 2026.
The new book is described as a profound meditation on creativity during times of political crisis and war. Spanning decades and continents, the narrative journeys from revolutionary 19th-century France to Istanbul, Egypt, and Beirut. At its core, the story offers a luminous portrait of the life of Gustave Flaubert, the renowned author of Madame Bovary. However, rather than focusing solely on the male genius, Shafak tells the story through the lives of the women—both real and fictional—who shaped his existence and work.
Shafak, who was appointed president of the Royal Society of Literature in 2025, expressed deep emotion regarding the release of this particular project. She described the novel as a “heartfelt love letter to literature” and noted that it is the book she had always wanted to write but never dared to attempt until now. With 20 books to her name, including 14 novels translated into 57 languages, Shafak has received numerous accolades, including shortlistings for the Booker Prize and the Women’s Prize for Fiction. She is currently nominated for Author of the Year at The British Book Awards 2026.
Isabel Wall, executive publisher at Viking, acquired the rights from Jonny Geller at Curtis Brown. Wall praised Shafak’s extraordinary storytelling, highlighting the novel’s exploration of the forgotten women behind a male literary icon and the moral complexities of creating art during political turbulence. She described the work as epic, transporting, and illuminating, promising it will delight both long-time fans and new readers.
Jonny Geller, Shafak’s agent, noted that following the massive success of her previous novel, There Are Rivers in the Sky, which was the highest-selling literary novel of the previous year, the anticipation for this new work is immense. He highlighted that the book retains the signature elements readers love: huge imaginative sweeps, life-spanning narratives, and a fresh perspective on one of the 19th century’s most extraordinary literary figures.
In One Brief Moment All Eternity promises to be a significant addition to contemporary literature, examining the intersection of art, history, and the often-overlooked contributions of women in shaping cultural legacies.
