Taxi Driver's Novel Inspired by WWII Bomb Scare

A taxi driver from Cambridge has achieved a significant literary milestone with the English publication of his debut novel, "I Met My Dead Grandpa." This accomplishment stems from a unique encounter with a passenger a decade ago.

Ten years prior, Cenk Sözen picked up a German PhD student during an evacuation at Cambridge Station, triggered by a suspected unexploded WWII bomb. This event served as the catalyst for his fictional narrative.

The novel imagines a conversation in limbo between a fictionalized German student and his grandfather, who was the pilot responsible for dropping the bomb. Sözen stated his intention was to explore themes of intergenerational responsibility. The actual 'bomb' discovered in 2016 was a wartime bullet, and Sözen conducted extensive research into WWII's impact on Cambridge.

Sözen, who has lived in Cambridge for nearly 25 years, continues his taxi driving career while pursuing his writing passion. He works on new novels in his spare time, including stories set in the Arabian Desert and exploring the Ottoman Empire's historical support for Ireland.