"What does life accumulate for us? Broken loves, unlived moments, unfulfilled dreams, sorrows tacked onto a childhood memory, the endless waiting of love, separations, cities, villages, roads, winds, sunrises, and houses built with a little grief and a little joy... Life gathers for us what we are ready to keep, what suits us, what we need, and what will make us grow and become who we are."

The Gatherer of Departed Souls is a lament for those who leave and a poem for those who remain—a deeply moving collection of human stories. In this beautifully crafted book, Şermin Yaşar returns us to the essence of the "human" we miss so much, presenting it in all its flawed, heartbreaking glory. Prepare your face before reading: place a little sorrow right next to your smile. As you turn the pages, you will take a little from one and a little from the other, much like the bittersweet experience of sipping strong tea with a sugar cube tucked in your cheek.