1. TURKEY IN ALL ITS
COLOURS
TURKEY MARKET FOCUS
15––17 APRIL 2013
#LBFTURKEY

2. CONTACT INFORMATION
The London Book Fair Opening Times
Earls Court Exhibition Centre Monday 15 April 09.00 – 18.30
Warwick Road Tuesday 16 April 09.00 – 18.30
London, SW5 9TA Wednesday 17 April 09.00 – 17.00
Turkey Market Focus Contacts
London Book Fair Market Focus Press Enquiries
The London Book Fair Midas Public Relations
Amy Webster Nicola Green
Amy.Webster@reedexpo.co.uk E Nicola.Green@midaspr.co.uk
T +44 (0)7827 449 285 T +44 (0)20 7361 7860
www.londonbookfair.co.uk
Cultural Programme Press Enquiries
British Council British Council
Rebecca Hart Alex Bratt
E Rebecca.Hart@britishcouncil.org E Alex.Bratt@britishcouncil.org
T +44 (0)20 7389 4140 T +44 (0)20 7389 4872
www.literature.britishcouncil.org
Authors and Publishers from
Turkey and Turkish Pavilion
Redmint Communications
Ceyda Sara Pekenc
E bookfair@redmintcomms.co.uk
T +44 (0)20 3397 3936
Designed by MARK
www.markstudio.co.uk

3. CONTENTS
03 Turkey market focus 2013
04 cultural programme
15 professional programme
18 writers
45 panellists
56 publishers & Agents
72 Partners
85 museum of innocence
86 notes
89 Earls court map

4. TURKEY IN ALL ITS COLOURS
The London Book Fair, with its longstanding Market Focus cultural programme partner the British
Council, and this year in partnership with The Turkish National Organising Committee for International
Book Fairs, is delighted to welcome the Turkey Market Focus into the spotlight for 2013.
Since the launch of the Turkey Market Focus programme eighteen months ago, publishers and writers
from the UK and Turkey have been engaging with each other’s markets through a number of targeted
seminars, delegations and workshops. This will now culminate in a celebration of contemporary
literature and a showcase of publishing from Turkey that will mark ‘Turkey in all its Colours’ in bringing
writing and publishing from Turkey to the world.
The Market Focus programme aims to strengthen cultural and business relations, educate the global
publishing community about literature and contemporary authors from Turkey, and help publishers
from Turkey to promote their books and literature to an international audience via the fair.
The cultural programme detailed in these pages will showcase the writers visiting The London Book
Fair through seminars, readings and events in and around the fair. These provide the opportunity for
this new generation of writers from Turkey to discuss topics of relevance in front of an international
literary audience and to meet their international peers. Furthermore it offers the exposure for rights
and export sales from the international publishing community.
The professional programme running concurrently at the fair will offer educational opportunities
for those interested in learning about different aspects of the publishing industry in Turkey. Details
of the programme, the chairs and the participating publishers are also included in this brochure.
The professional programme is curated with The Publishers Association, who are a strategic advisory
partner to The London Book Fair.
With a strong, growth economy, a young and dynamic population and a diverse group of contemporary
writers ready to share their work with an international audience, now could not be a better time to look
at the business, cultural and collaborative opportunities presented by the Turkey Market Focus 2013,
Turkey in all its Colours.
We look forward to welcoming you to the programme.
Jacks Thomas
Group Exhibition Director
The London Book Fair
Susie Nicklin
Director Literature
British Council
The Turkish National
Organising Committee
for International Book Fairs
3

5. CULTURAL
PROGRAMME
4

6. THE LONDON BOOK FAIR, EARLS COURT
MONDAY 15 APRIL
10.00 – 10.30 In Conversation…
English PEN Literary Café, Earls Court
Oya Baydar in conversation with Kamila Shamsie
11.30 – 12.30 Writing in a Changing Turkey
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Writers: Müge İplikçi, Mehmet Yashin & Maggie Gee
Chair: Maureen Freely
Turkey has the youngest population in Western Europe, and one of the fastest
growing economies in the world – expanding 9.2% in 2010, and 8.5% in 2011.
This economic growth is driving social change and altering Turkey’s position
on the world stage. How does contemporary writing in Turkey engage with
a rapidly changing cultural landscape?
13.00 – 13.30 In Conversation…
English PEN Literary Café, Earls Court
Fethiye Çetin in conversation with Jo Glanville
13.00 – 14.00 Turkish Literature in the UK
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Panellists: Bejan Matur, Müge Gürsoy Sökmen & Amy Spangler
Chair: Maureen Freely
Despite the fact that translations from Turkish have increased in the 2000s,
Turkish literature is still largely unknown in the UK and leading authors as
well as modern classics are still waiting to be discovered by English-language
readers. On the other hand, as elsewhere, translations from English continue
filling the Turkish book market. What stands in the way of turning the tide and
making the rich literature of modern and contemporary Turkey known in the UK?
This event is part of the Literary Translation Centre programme.
5

7. THE LONDON BOOK FAIR, EARLS COURT
14.30 – 15.30 Children’s Writing from Turkey: What Makes Children Read?
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Writers: Fatih Erdoğan & Sophie Smiley
Chair: Sarwat Chadda
This seminar aims to give a platform to a wide discussion about children’s
literature in Turkey. What is the reading culture like for children in Turkey?
How are books discovered and shared, and what kind of stories, themes
and genres are winning over a new generation of readers?
16.00 – 16.30 In Conversation…
English PEN Literary Café, Earls Court
Ece Temelkuran in conversation with Gillian Slovo
16.00 – 17.00 East and West: Perceptions of Turkish Literature
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Writers: Beyazıt Akman & Nazan Bekiroğlu
The speakers will discuss how Turkish literature has been perceived in history
by eastern and western literary and academic circles, and analyse the differing
perspectives and their accurate and inaccurate views on Turkish literature.
This event is in partnership with the Turkish National Organising Committee
for International Book Fairs.
TUESDAY 16 APRIL
10.00 – 11.00 What is Contemporary Writing from Turkey? Celebrating Diversity
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Writers: Fethiye Çetin, Mario Levi, Perihan Mağden & Stella Duffy
Chair: Lisa Appignanesi
Literature is by nature a polyphonic phenomenon: many voices meeting
to describe a broad and diverse narrative. Which voices, identities, and
experiences need to be written? What is contemporary literature’s role
in writing, changing and re-telling the narratives of nationhood?
6

8. THE LONDON BOOK FAIR, EARLS COURT
11.30 – 12.00 In Conversation…
English PEN Literary Café, Earls Court
Elif Shafak in conversation with Gaby Wood
This event is part of the The London Book Fair Author of the Day programme.
13.00 – 14.00 At the Crossroads of Culture: Writing Turkey from a Distance
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Writers: Esmahan Aykol, Oya Baydar, Aslı E. Perker & Anjali Joseph
Chair: Sara Whyatt
Historically, many writers have found distance can refresh our perspective
on our homes, put us into a different context, and highlight similarities and
differences. What are the effects of exile, absence, distance and foreign
surroundings on how we think about home? Writers from Turkey and the
UK discuss writing Turkey and home from afar.
14.30 – 15.00 In Conversation…
English PEN Literary Café, Earls Court
Murathan Mungan in conversation with Maureen Freely
14.30 – 15.30 Literary Editors on Turkish Literature
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Panellists: Buket Aşçı, Filiz Aygündüz, Turhan Günay & Faruk Şüyün
Chair: Cem Erciyes
Book review supplements have taken on a broader significance than
simply being newspaper supplements; they have become a topic of debate.
The panellists will discuss book review supplements, which are for some,
the best thing that happened to literature, while some others hold them
responsible for the destruction of literary journals and literary criticism.
This event is in partnership with the Turkish National Organising Committee
for International Book Fairs.
7

9. THE LONDON BOOK FAIR, EARLS COURT
16.00 – 17.00 Page and Screen in Turkey: Competitors or Collaborators?
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Writers: Ayşe Kulin, Tarık Tufan, Ayfer Tunç & Joe Dunthorne
Chair: Canan Marasligil
With soap operas becoming one of Turkey’s largest international exports, writers
from Turkey and the UK look at the relationship between page and screen. Do
literature, TV and film exist in different spheres, with different inspirations and
different audiences? Or – with many fiction authors writing for the screen – should
we view the relationship differently, as a collaborative, hybrid arena?
WEDNESDAY 17 APRIL
10.00 – 11.00 Poetry and Crime
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Writers: Şavkar Altınel & Esmahan Aykol
A detective fiction writer, who has published a book of poetry, and a poet
with great passion for detective fiction will discuss how these two genres
agree with each other.
This event is in partnership with the Turkish National Organising Committee
for International Book Fairs.
11.30 – 12.30 New Fiction: Fantasy and Crime
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Writers: Hakan Günday, Barış Müstecaplıoğlu & Ahmet Ümit
Chair: Barbara Nadel
Fantasy, science fiction and crime fiction have traditionally been left outside
the mainstream of the Turkish literary world. Though slow to develop, crime
fiction has grown in popularity in Turkey and now enjoys a popular readership.
What is behind crime fiction’s growing popularity and why don’t science fiction
and fantasy have the same profile in Turkey?
8

10. THE LONDON BOOK FAIR, EARLS COURT
13.00 – 14.00 New Media: Literature and Authorship ‘Online’ Literature
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Writers: Tarık Tufan & Salih Zengin
The panellists from the ‘Media’ will address the concepts of literature and
authorship in the media sector, which has been recently transformed by
dazzling technological changes, and discuss the impact of the internet on
literature and literary discussions.
This event is in partnership with the Turkish National Organising Committee
for International Book Fairs.
13.30 – 14.30 Turkish Translation Slam!
Literary Translation Centre, Earls Court
Participants: Izzy Finkel & Feyza Howell
Chair: Daniel Hahn
Emerging Turkish-to-English translators Izzy Finkel and Feyza Howell will test
their linguistic mettle in a light-hearted dual of words. The slam will showcase
the art of translation by juxtaposing competing translations of the same piece
of contemporary writing by Turkish writer Murat Menteş.
14.30 – 15.30 Future of Literature in Turkey
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Writers: İnci Aral, Murat Gülsoy, Murat Menteş & Ned Beauman
Chair: Ellah Allfrey
Crowd-sourced translation, hybridized fan-fiction, e-books and experimentation
- what’s next for literature? How will it reach new audiences? What themes, style
and genres should it explore? Writers from Turkey and the UK explore what the
future of literature might hold.
16.00 – 16.30 In Conversation…
English PEN Literary Café, Earls Court
Mario Levi in conversation with Amanda Hopkinson
9

11. EVENTS IN LONDON
MONDAY 15 APRIL
18.30 – 19.30 Innovation and the Novel
The Gallery at Foyles
113–119 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0EB
Bestselling novelists from Turkey, Bariş Müstecaplıoğlu and İnci Aral, discuss
innovation and the novel. Bariş is the author of Turkey’s first fantasy series and
İnci is a critically acclaimed novelist and short story writer. These two distinct
voices from Turkey will explore innovation, fantasy and experimentation in the
future of the novel.
Tickets: Free, email events@foyles.co.uk to reserve a place
18.30 – 20.30 Your Voice, My Voice
Free Word Centre
60 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3GA
How do you give a voice to the unheard? Join writers Perihan Mağden ( Turkey)
and Neel Mukherjee (India/UK ) as they discuss their writing and how it relates
to the countries and cultures that shaped their lives. While their work describes
different realities and explores distinct imaginary worlds, both writers share the
urge to give a voice to the unheard: the marginalised characters in their novels,
the subjects of their journalism and the voice of the writer themselves.
Chaired by Canan Marasligil, Translator in Residence, Free Word Centre
Tickets: £5 / £3 available at www.freewordonline.com
This event is presented by Free Word and English PEN.
18.45 – 20.15 Writing about Turkey
British Library, Conference Centre
96 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB
This is a rare opportunity to hear from some of the leading names from
Turkey’s vibrant literary scene - a world where modernity and tradition
and East and West meet in words, as in the country itself. Ayşe Kulin
and Aslı E. Perker will discuss writing about Turkey with acclaimed British
novelist Louis de Bernières.
Tickets: £5 / £3 available at http://boxoffice.bl.uk,
+44 (0)1937 546546 (Mon–Fri 09.00–17.00) or in person at the British Library
10

12. EVENTS IN LONDON
WEDNESDAY 17 APRIL
18.00 – 20.00 Insanbul: Writing from a Cosmopolitan Perspective
School of Oriental and African Studies,
Room 116 SOAS Main Building
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG
Once the Queen of Cities, referred to as Islambol (Abounding-in-Islam) during
the Ottoman period, then maligned as kozmopolit and no longer ‘The City’ in
the Republican period, Istanbul never stopped accommodating a vast humanity
(insan is ‘people’ in Turkish) as it developed into a somewhat insane,
‘self-service’ city.
Mario Levi and Murathan Mungan are well-known authors from Turkey who
are at ease with the Cosmopolis and its phantasmagoria and they will be in
conversation with acclaimed writer Moris Farhi and translator Ruth Christie.
Tickets: Free, email turkishliteraturesoas@gmail.com to reserve a place
18.30 – 19.30 The Writer and the Journalist
The Gallery at Foyles
113–119 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0EB
Ece Temelkuran is one of Turkey’s best-known journalists and political
commentators and is also a bestselling novelist. Appearing in conversation
in London, Ece will discuss the how her work as a journalist has informed
her novel writing.
Tickets: Free, email events@foyles.co.uk to reserve a place
THURSDAY 18 APRIL
09.30 – 15.00 Round Table Discussion on Freedom of Expression in Turkey
London School of Economics
Houghton Street, London W0C2 A 2 AE
A Round Table discussion with writers from Turkey and leading writers,
thinkers and lawyers in the UK with an interest in freedom of expression
and Turkey. Participants will address the challenges for writers in Turkey -
from the impact of the law to self-censorship. By invitation only.
This event is hosted by English PEN and PEN International in association
with Polis, the journalism think-tank at the London School of Economics.
11

13. EVENTS IN LONDON
14.00 – 15.00 Children’s Storytelling
Mildmay Library
21– 23 Mildmay Park, London N1 4NA
Favourite children’s writer from Turkey, Fatih Erdoğan, and the energetic
Guy Bass will bring their children’s stories to life during a lively session of
interactive storytelling and readings at Mildmay Library. Suitable for
children aged 7+.
Tickets: Free, just come along
18.00 – 20.00 Poetry and Language: Step-Mothertongue
School of Oriental and African Studies,
Room T101–102
22 Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG
Literature and national identities sit uneasily together at the best of times.
Mehmet Yashin’s poetry celebrates the intermingling of differing Levantine
literary traditions in Cyprus. Turkish is his step-mothertongue, a term he coined
to describe postcolonial genealogies of language. Bejan Matur’s poetry evokes
a visceral feminine energy; she too writes in Turkish but invokes a powerful
Kurdish (and Alevi) voice.
Bejan and Mehmet will be in conversation with Moris Farhi and Alev Adil, who
both write in English. Moris’ poems are about our hunger for love and our love of
the stranger; Alev’s current poetry explores the Hellenic, Ottoman and diasporic
dimensions of Cypriot poetics.
Tickets: Free, email turkishliteraturesoas@gmail.com to reserve a place
18.45 – 21.30 Women, Freedom and the Islamic World
Asia House
63 New Cavendish Street, London W1G 7LP
With Turkey at number 122 on the Gender Gap Index, our panel of women
writers from Turkey, Iraq and Iran look at issues of concern to women in Islamic
societies: love, marriage and family, domestic and sexual violence, freedom
and autonomy, war, how women’s freedom differs between countries, how
changes in Islam and world perceptions have influenced Muslim women’s
lives and how their writing can affect change.
Elif Shafak, Haifa Zangana and Kamin Mohammadi will be in conversation
with moderator, Samira Ahmed.
Tickets: £10 (£8 Concessions / £7 Friends) available at www.asiahouse.org/arts-
and-culture, enquiries@asiahouse.org or +44 (0)20 7307 5454
This event is part of the Asia House Festival of Asian Literature.
12

14. EVENTS IN LONDON
19.00 – 21.00 Writing Turkey
Arcola Theatre
24 Ashwin Street, Dalston, London E8 3DL
Join acclaimed Turkish writers Ece Temelkuran, Murathan Mungan and
Oya Baydar on a rare visit to the UK as they discuss what it means to be a
writer in Turkey today and how their work has been shaped by their interactions
with the cultural and political landscape. The event will include readings by the
authors and a Q&A with translator and academic Maureen Freely.
Tickets: £5 available at www.arcolatheatre.com
This event is presented by English PEN and the Arcola Theatre.
FRIDAY 19 APRIL
19.00 – 20.30 Kaya Genç in conversation with Maureen Freely
London Review Bookshop
14 Bury Place, London WC1A 2JL
Turkish writer Kaya Genç will be in conversation with writer and translator
Maureen Freely about how his writing reflects and interacts with literary
traditions, as well as Turkish culture, history and politics.
‘Kaya Genç is one of the most interesting Turkish writers to emerge in recent
years. In his essays as well as his fiction, he converses across borders, while
forging his own distinct voice and perspective and challenging dominant
narratives.’ (Maureen Freely)
Tickets: £10 available at www.lrbshop.co.uk
This event is part of the London Review Bookshop World Literature series,
organised in partnership with the British Centre for Literary Translation.
13

15. EVENTS IN THE UK
THURSDAY 18 APRIL
19.30 – 20.30 Alone in a Crowd: From Istanbul to Cardiff
Glanfa Stage, Wales Millennium Centre
Bute Place, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff CF10 5AL
Literature Wales is delighted to welcome Turkish authors Ayfer Tunç and
Hakan Günday to Cardiff. They will be joined on the Glanfa Stage by acclaimed
poet Richard Gywn. The writers will discuss how their respective landscapes
have influenced their own work, and draw comparisons on being individuals
in overwhelming cities. This event will be chaired by Grahame Davies.
Tickets: Free, just come along
FRIDAY 19 APRIL
18.30 – 20.00 One Night in Istanbul: Writing the City
The Bluecoat
School Lane, Liverpool L1 3BX
Leading Turkish short story writers Müge İplikçi and Murat Gülsoy, who
feature in Comma Press’s anthology The Book of Istanbul, read short stories
and discuss their approach to writing about the city. They’ll be joined by UK
writer Helen Walsh, author of the novels Brass, Once Upon a Time in England,
and Go to Sleep. This event will be chaired by Jim Hinks.
Tickets: Free, email info@thebluecoat.org.uk or call +44 (0)151 702 5324 to
reserve a place
19.00 – 20.00 Crime in the City
Central Library
7–9 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EG
Local crime writer Lin Anderson talks with two Turkish writers about ‘Crime in
the City’, focusing on the role of cities (Istanbul and Edinburgh) and narratives
in crime fiction. Ahmet Ümit is a leading figure in Turkish crime writing, and
his novels have been adapted for screen and television. Murat Menteş is an
up-and-coming young thriller writer. This event will be chaired by writer and
translator Canan Marasligil.
Tickets: Free, available at www.edinburghreads.eventbrite.co.uk or call
+44 (0)131 242 8100 to reserve a place
14

16. PROFESSIONAL
PROGRAMME
15

17. THE LONDON BOOK FAIR, EARLS COURT
MONDAY 15 APRIL
11.30 – 12.30 Overview of the Turkish Market
Wellington Room, Earls Court
Panellists: Ümit Yaşar Gözüm (Ministry of Culture and Tourism), Metin Celal
( Turkish Publishers Association) & Münir Üstün (Association of Press and
Publishing Turkey)
Moderator: Cortina Butler (BookBrunch)
This year’s Market Focus country, Turkey, has experienced 300% growth in
the publishing sector in the last decade. With positive predictions for the future,
not just limited to the publishing sector, this vibrant and growing economy will
certainly mean international and domestic opportunities abound. Come and
learn more, and find out what Turkey could hold for you and your company.
TUESDAY 16 APRIL
10.00 – 11.00 What’s Selling in Turkey? Trade Trends and Future Forecast
Wellington Room, Earls Court
Panellists: Emrah Özpirinçci (Oxford University Press, Turkey), Erhan Erken
(ITO Executive Board, Head of Trustees of Istanbul Commercial University)
& Aslıhan Dinç ( Yapı Kredi)
Moderator: Richard Mollet (UK Publishers Association)
What’s behind a bestseller list? What can it tell you about a country and its
tastes, or is it all simply down to pricing? Does Turkey’s reading taste reflect the
growth and dynamism of this diverse country? If nearly 50% of books published
in Turkey are translated texts, then what does the future hold, will the market
look to the East or the West? And how can publishers working in and with
Turkey avoid risk, and guarantee success?
11.30 – 12.30 Translation and Turkey’s TEDA Project
Wellington Room, Earls Court
Panellists: Metin Celal ( Turkish Publishers Association), Amy Spangler
(Anatolia Literary Agency) & Oktay Saydam (Head of the Department
of Publications in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism)
Moderator: Maureen Freely (translator)
The TEDA project is Turkey’s highly successful government-supported
translation grant programme, encouraging the translation and publication of
Turkish cultural, artistic and literary works into foreign languages. This panel
explores the different stages of the grant process, with beneficiaries of the
funding speaking alongside those who had the vision to create it.
16

18. THE LONDON BOOK FAIR, EARLS COURT
13.00 – 14.00 New Ideas for Reaching Your Audience: Marketing Trends in Turkey –
Social Media, Literary Magazines and Author Events
Wellington Room, Earls Court
Panellists: Tuğrul Paşaoğlu (İletişim), Bayram Murat (Zambak Publishing),
Nazlı Berivan Ak (April) & Zeynep Yığcı (Caretta )
Moderator: Alison Flood (Guardian)
Turkey has a strong culture of live literary events and an abundance of literary
magazines and supplements. Combined with 6,000 bookshops, a young and
dynamic population (average age 28), and 31 million Facebook users and
the scene is set for some exciting and innovative ways of getting authors
in front of readers.
14.30 – 15.30 Children’s and Educational Publishing and the FATİH Project in Turkey
Wellington Room, Earls Court
Panellists: Melike Günyüz (Erdem), Hasan Hüseyin Doğru (Damla)
& Mustafa İlkhan (Fatih Project)
In one of the largest educational projects in the world, the Ministry of Education
in Turkey has initiated the FATİH (Movement to Increase Opportunities and
Technology) Project in 2010 aiming to provide tablet computers to all K-12
students, to install smart boards in every classroom and to digitise every
textbook. The project, with an expected cost of 10 billion dollars is due for
completion by the end of 2015 and will serve 17.5 million K-12 students. This
seminar discusses the trends in the children’s publishing and educational
sector in Turkey as well as the changes that the FATİH project will bring.
16.00 – 17.00 E and P Book Distribution and the Supply Chain in Turkey
Wellington Room, Earls Court
Panellists: İhsan Sönmez ( Timas), Mehmet İnhan (Idefix), Muharrem Kaşıtoğlu
(Artı Distribution) & Kenan Kocatürk (Punto Distribution)
Moderator: Lucy Huddlestone (Nielsen)
With 6,000 bookshops, POD on the rise, national and international online
bookshops increasing sales and a nascent e-book sales structure showing
growth of 120% annually, there is opportunity aplenty for getting your books
and content into the Turkish market. Speakers from each of these sectors
speak on this seminar.
17

19. WRITERS
Beyazit Akman PERİHAN MAĞDEN
Şavkar Altinel Bejan Matur
İNCİ ARAL Murat Menteş
Esmahan AYKOL Murathan Mungan
Oya Baydar Bariş Müstecaplıoğlu
NAZAN BEKİROĞLU Asli E. Perker
FETHİYE ÇETİN Elif Shafak
FATİH ERDOĞAN Ece Temelkuran
Murat Gülsoy Tarik Tufan
Hakan Günday Ayfer Tunç
MÜGE İPLİKÇİ AHMET ÜMİT
AYŞE KULİN Mehmet Yashin
MARİO LEVİ SALİH ZENGİN
18

20. BEYAZIT AKMAN
Beyazıt Akman was born in 1981 in Kastamonu.
He has lived in the USA for about ten years
and currently lectures at New York University,
Geneseo on world literature, Islam as well
Ottoman and Western literatures. Akman
studied English Language at Bosporus
University and Middle East Technical University.
Having gone to the USA through the Fulbright
scholarship, Akman graduated with a high
honours degree as the second-highest ranking
student of the university. Akman received his
Master’s Degree in English Literature and
started his postgraduate study at the University
of Illinois, receiving his postgraduate degree
Selected Bibliography
for his thesis titled “The Perception of Islam The First Day of the World / Dünyanın
in Western Literature and the Turks”. İlk Günü
The Last Sefarad / Son Sefarad
Akman’s many articles about the Turkish Associated Publishers
Image in Shakespeare and Daniel Defoe have Epsilon Yayınları
been published in international academic Events
journals. In 2012, Akman won a fellowship East and West: Perceptions
of Turkish Literature
from the Smithsonian Institute, one of the most April 15, 16.00 – 17.00,
prestigious literary and museum complexes Whitehall Room, Earls Court
of the world, through his postgraduate thesis.
19

21. ŞAVKAR ALTINEL
Şavkar Altınel was born in 1953, Istanbul, and
has lived abroad since age nineteen. Pursuing
postgraduate studies in English Literature, he
spent four years in Chicago and thirteen years
in Glasgow and now resides close to London.
His first essay was published in Yeni Dergi in
1971 and his first poem in Yazı in 1978. Since
the 1990s, his articles on poetry have appeared
in literary journals such as Gösteri, Varlık and
Adam Sanat.
In 2011, Altınel was awarded the Erdal Öz Prize
for Literature on account of ‘his distinctive
poetry and prose’ and for ‘his constant
commitment to literary values and bridging the Literary Awards
gap between different literatures.’ His oeuvre Erdal Öz Literature Award (2011)
Mehmet Fuat Essay Award (2009)
includes poetry, travel books and literary
Selected Bibliography
translations, and in 2009 he was the recipient The Stranger on the Hill / Tepedeki Yabancı
of the Mehmet Fuat Essay Award. The Door that Opens Out to the Cold:
Essays on Poetry / Soğuğa Açılan Kapı:
Şiir Üstüne Yazılar
Associated Publishers
Oğlak Yayınları
Yapı Kredi Publications
Events
Poetry and Crime
April 17, 10.00 – 11.00,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
20

22. İNCİ ARAL
Originally trained as a painter, İnci Aral became
interested in literature and started her writing
career with short stories, later progressing to
novels. Her writing focuses on the emotional
state of individuals caught up in sociological
change, the impossible nature of love, failures
of communication and existential problems.
İnci Aral is one of the best loved and most
popular authors in her country. Her short stories
have been widely translated and have appeared
in several anthologies in countries including
the United States, the Netherlands, Slovakia,
France, Germany, Bulgaria and Iraq. İnci Aral
was born in 1944. Literary Awards
Tepeyran Novel Award (2012)
Orhan Kemal Novel Award (2004)
Yunus Nadi Award for Short Story (2001)
Yunus Nadi Novel Award (1992)
Nevzat Üstün Award for Short Story (1983)
Akademi Kitabevi Award (1980)
Selected Bibliography
The Magic of Writing / Yazma Büyüsü (2011)
When You Sing Your Song (2011) / Şarkını
Söylediğin Zaman (2011)
Faithfulness / Sadakat (2010)
Forgetting / Unutmak (2008)
Saffron Yellow / Safran Sarı (2007)
Associated Publishers
Kırmızı Kedi Kitap
Agent
Kalem Agency
Events
Innovation and the Novel
April 15, 18.30 – 19.30,
The Gallery at Foyles,
London WC2H 0EB
Future of Literature in Turkey
April 17, 14.30 – 15.30,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
21

23. ESMAHAN AYKOL
Esmahan Aykol was born in 1970. She
graduated from the Faculty of Law at Istanbul
University before going to Berlin Humboldt
University, where she obtained her Masters
Degree in Law. She has written four Kati
Hirschel mystery novels. Hotel Bosphorus and
Baksheesh are the first two and have been
published in eight languages. One of the best-
known Turkish detective story writers, Esmahan
Aykol has also written a book of poetry entitled
O Şehirde Düşlerim Kaldı (I Left my Dreams
in That City).
Selected Bibliography
A Bargain House / Kelepir Ev
Bookstore / Kitapçı Dükkanı
A Mysterious Death / Şüpheli Bir Ölüm
Dispersed / Savrulanlar
Titles Published in English
Baksheesh
Hotel Bosphorus
Associated Publishers
Turkuvaz Kitap
Bitter Lemon Press
Events
At the Crossroads of Culture:
Writing Turkey from a Distance
April 16, 13.00 – 14.00,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Poetry and Crime
April 17, 10.00 – 11.00,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
22

24. OYA BAYDAR
Oya Baydar was born in 1940 and graduated
from Notre Dame de Sion High School for
Girls. Her first novel, written during her senior
year at high school, was published in the
Hürriyet newspaper who introduced her as
‘the Françoise Sagan of Turkey’.
She studied Sociology and Philosophy
at Istanbul University and after graduation
began working as a lecturer in the same
department. She stopped writing literature
in the 1960s, during the organisation of the
socialist movement in Turkey, and focused on
researching on socio-political structures, while
actively involved in the socialist movement. Literary Awards
Italian Carical Novel Prize (2011)
She was arrested in the military intervention Cevdet Kudret Literature Prize (2004)
of 1971 and dismissed from her position at the Orhan Kemal Novel Prize (2001)
Yunus Nadi Novel Prize (1993)
University for being a member of the Turkish
Selected Bibliography
Labour Party and Teachers’ Trade Union. Your Magnificent Life /
After her release, she worked as a columnist O Muhteşem Hayatınız (2012)
The Gate of Judas Tree /
and journalist in different newspapers until Erguvan Kapısı (2004)
1980. After the coup d’état on September 12, Titles Published in English
1980, she had to flee Turkey and lived in exile The Lost Word (2011)
in Germany until 1992. She witnessed the Associated Publishers
collapse of the socialist system and the Berlin Can Yayınları
Peter Owen
Wall, and returned to literature. Her work has
Agent
been translated into more than 20 languages, Kalem Agency
including German, French, English, Arabic, Events
Portuguese and Greek. Oya Baydar currently Oya Baydar in conversation
lives in Turkey and spends her time in Istanbul with Kamila Shamsie
April 15, 10.00 – 10.30,
as well as Marmara Island. English PEN Literary Café, Earls Court
www.oyabaydar.com At the Crossroads of Culture:
Writing Turkey from a Distance
April 16, 13.00 – 14.00, Whitehall Room
Writing Turkey
April 18, 19.00 – 21.00,
Arcola Theatre, London E8 3DL
23

25. NAZAN BEKİROĞLU
Nazan Bekiroğlu was born in Trabzon in 1957.
She gained a degree in Turkish Language and
Literature at Atatürk University in the Faculty of
Arts and subsequently worked as a high school
teacher for four years. Upon completing her
doctorate in 1985, she entered the Department
of Turkish Language and Literature as a tutor
in Karadeniz Technical University’s Faculty of
Education. She became an associate professor
in 1995 with a thesis on the poet Nigar Hanım.
She continues to teach as a full professor.
Bekiroğlu has written numerous scientific
articles, essays, and short stories for various
periodicals, and has also published collections Selected Bibliography
of short stories and a variety of research Mavi Lale / The Blue Tulip
Cam Irmağı Taş Gemi - Eski Mısırdan
studies. Her first novel, İsimle Ateş Arasında Aşk Hikayeleri / Glass River Stone Ship -
(In Between Name and Fire) was published Love Stories from Ancient Egypt
Yusuf ve Züleyha: Kalbin Üzerinde Titreyen
in 2002. She won the prize for Best Essay of Hüzün/ Yusuf and Züleyha: A Love Classic
the Year in 2003 from the Writer’s Association Cümle Kapısı/The Gateway
Lâ:Sonsuzluk Hecesi/La: The Syllable
of Turkey with her work The Gateway and of Eternity
also awarded Story of the Year by the Writer’s
Associated Publishers
Association of Turkey in 2006 for her work Timaş Yayınları
Glass River Stone Ship. Events
East and West: Perceptions
of Turkish Literature
April 15, 16.00 – 17.00,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
24

26. FETHİYE ÇETİN
Fethiye Çetin was born in 1950 in the Maden
district of Elazığ province. She completed
her primary and secondary education in
Maden, Mahmudiye and Elazığ and received
her law degree from the Faculty of Law of
Ankara University.
As a lawyer in Istanbul, Fethiye Çetin has been
actively working in the field of Human Rights
Law, with special focus on minority rights.
She served as the executive board member
of Human Rights Centre of the Istanbul Bar
Association and acted as the founder and
speaker of the Minority Rights Working Group
established under the Centre. She founded Selected Bibliography
the monitoring group ‘History for Peace’, Grandchildren / Torunlar
My Grandmother / Anneannem
which aims at changing racist, discriminatory
Titles Published in English
and hostile elements in textbooks. My Grandmother
Fethiye Çetin’s book My Grandmother Associated Publishers
Metis Kitap
was published in 2004. My Grandmother Verso
has been translated into French, English, Events
Eastern Armenian, Western Armenian, Italian, Fethiye Çetin in conversation
Flemish, Bulgarian, Greek, German and with Jo Glanville
April 15, 13.00 – 13.30,
Romanian, and was granted the Armenian English PEN Literary Café, Earls Court
medal in Marseille. The book is currently What is Contemporary Writing from Turkey?
being translated into Arabic. Celebrating Diversity
April 16, 10.00 – 11.00,
Together with Ayşe Gül Altınay, she co-authored Whitehall Room, Earls Court
the book Grandchildren published in 2009.
Grandchildren has also been translated into
French. A recipient of the Padova Righteousness
Plaque and an honorary member of the
Armenian Lawyers’ Association of France,
Fethiye Çetin was the lawyer of Hrant Dink,
who was shot dead in 2007 in front of his
newspaper offices. She continues to defend
Dink family, Agos newspaper and Hrant Dink
Foundation in her capacity as a lawyer.
25

27. FATİH ERDOĞAN
Dr. Fatih Erdoğan was born in İzmir in 1954.
After studying at Robert College, he graduated
as a mechanical engineer from The Bosphorus
University in Istanbul in 1979. In 1980, he
decided against working as a mechanical
engineer and took a position at Redhouse.
In the same year he founded a children’s
books publishing house, Mavibulut Yayıncılık.
He was awarded the prize for best picture book
at the 1980 Istanbul International Conference on
Children and Youth Publications for Pan and the
Flower. In 1990 he started to publish a children’s
magazine Kırmızıfare (the Red Mouse). He
continued to work in Redhouse Press as an Literary Awards
editor of children’s books until 1991. In 1997, Guest of Honour at Living Children’s
Authors Symposium,
he was selected as one of the 10 best children’s Osmangazi University (2012)
authors in Turkey by Ankara University. He Guest of Honour at Children’s Literature
Symposium, Marmara University (2009)
founded the Association of Children’s Books Best Children’s Author, Turkish Association
( Turkish IBBY ) in 1994 and worked as the of Librarians (2009)
president until 2004. During this period he was Children’s Literature Award, Türkçem
Magazine in Prizren, Kosova (2008)
the associate editor for Bookbird. He started
Selected Bibliography
the first Turkish children’s literature research The Magical Skateboard / Sihirli Kaykay
magazine BinbirKitap (1001 Books). Fa’s Violins / Fa Usta’nın Kemanları
The Old Lamp in the Garret / Tavan
He has written 70 books for children and more Arasındaki
Eski Lamba
than 150 articles on children’s literature, as well Magical Pencil / Sihirli Kalem
as given seminars on ‘how to write for children’
Associated Publishers
in Bilgi University for 2 years, and a one Mavibulut Yayıncılık
semester creative writing course at Yeditepe Agent
University. He has taught a children’s literature Kalem Agency
course in Maltepe University since 2010. Events
Children’s Writing from Turkey:
www.fatiherdogan.com What Makes Children Read?
April 15, 14.30 – 15.30,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Children’s Storytelling
April 18, 14.00 – 15.00,
Mildmay Library, London N1 4NA
26

28. Murat Gülsoy
Born in 1967, Murat Gülsoy studied engineering
and psychology gaining a Ph.D in Biomedical
Engineering. He currently works at one of
Turkey’s most distinguished universities as
a life science researcher as well as a creative
writing teacher. He is also chairperson of the
Boğaziçi University Press editorial board.
He started his literary career in 1992 as
a publisher and writer at the literary
journal Hayalet Gemi (Ghost Ship). His work
explores the metafictional potentials of self-
consciousness and new forms of narrative.
His novels focus on the psychological depths
of the characters and illustrate the construction Literary Awards
of fiction within subjective experiences. Yunus Nadi Novel Prize (2003)
Sait Faik Short Story Award (2001)
A constant movement of disillusion tears his
Selected Bibliography
characters apart, already divided not only Father, Son and the Holy Novel /
between west and east but also between Baba, Oğul ve Kutsal Roman
history and the present. Can God See Me? / Tanrı Beni Görüyor Mu?
In the Mirror of Darkness / Karanlığın
Aynasında
A recipient of Turkey’s most prestigious literary A Week of Kindness in Istanbul /
awards, Gülsoy has published 12 books in İstanbul’da Bir Merhamet Haftası
Turkey, including short stories and five novels The Lingering Death of a Lover /
Sevgilinin Geciken Ölümü
addressing modern masters Kafka, Borges, Steal This Book / Bu Kitabı Çalın
Fowles, Murakami and Orhan Pamuk. His short Associated Publishers
story collection Bu Kitabı Çalın (Steal This Book) Can Yayınları
was the first of his works to be published in Agent
translation, in German by Literaturca. Gülsoy’s AnatoliaLit Copyright and Translation
Agency
short fiction has been published in English
Events
in various journals and anthologies, while his Future of Literature in Turkey
novel İstanbul’da Bir Merhamet Haftası (A Week April 17, 14.30 – 15.30,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
of Kindness in Istanbul) has been published
in Chinese, Macedonian, Romanian, Bulgarian, One Night in Istanbul: Writing the City
April 19, 18.30 – 20.00,
Arabic, and Albanian with English excerpts The Bluecoat, Liverpool L1 3BX
featured in Transcript Review.
www.muratgulsoy.com
27

29. Hakan Günday
Hakan Günday was born in Rhodes in 1976.
He finished his primary education in Brussels.
After attending Ankara Tevfik Fikret High
School, he studied at the Department of
French Translation in the Faculty of Literature
of Hacettepe University. He then transferred
to Université Libre de Bruxelles.
www.hakangunday.net
Selected Bibliography
Few / Az (2011)
Ziyan / Ziyan (2009)
Dismissal / Azil (2007)
Mandrel / Malafa (2005)
Bastard / Piç (2003)
Zargana / Zargana (2002)
Kinays ve Kayra / Kinyas ve Kayra (2000)
Associated Publishers
Doğan Kitap
Agent
Kalem Agency
Events
New Fiction: Fantasy and Crime
April 17, 11.30 – 12.30,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Alone in a Crowd: From Istanbul to Cardiff
April 18, 19.30 – 20.30,
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff CF10 5AL
28

30. MÜGE İPLİKÇİ
Born in Istanbul, Müge İplikçi graduated
from the English Language and Literature
Department of Istanbul University. She received
her MA in Women’s Studies at the same
university and at Ohio State University (US).
Müge İplikçi is renowned for her short stories
and novels which deal with the contemporary
social relations and positions of women, and
her works have been translated into many
different languages. Her lastest short story
book is called Kısa Ömürlü Açelyalar (Short
Lived Azaleas), and her lastest novel is titled
Civan (Before Their Time).
Yalancı Şahit – (Perjurer) was written as part Literary Awards
of Günışığı Library Publishing House’s “Köprü The Best Youth Book of the Year, Children
Youth Publications Association (2010)
Kitaplar” (“Bridging Books”) series and is the Haldun Taner Story Award (1997)
author’s first youth novel. Following her first Yaşar Nabi Nayır Youth Awards (1996)
children book, Uçan Salı (Flying Tuesday), Selected Bibliography
Before Their Time / Civan (2012)
she wrote Acayip Bir Deniz Yolculuğu (A Curious Short Lived Azaleas /
Sea Voyage) which was inspired by the actual Kısa Ömürlü Açelyalar (2009)
voyage accross the Mediterranean Sea of Mount Kaf / Kafdağı (2008)
Harbinger / Cemre (2006)
the sailing boat Cybele, constructed using The Ash and Wind / Kül ve Yel (2004)
ancient technology as part of a marine Associated Publishers
archeology project. Everest Yayınları
Events
Müge İplikçi has been a member of Turkish Writing in a Changing Turkey
PEN, and the chairperson of Turkish Women April 15, 11.30 – 12.30,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Writers Committee for three years. She currently
teaches at Bilgi University and is a columnist One Night in Istanbul: Writing the City
April 19, 18.30 – 20.00,
at the Turkish paper Vatan. The Bluecoat, Liverpool L1 3BX
www.mugeiplikci.com
29

31. AYŞE KULİN
Ayşe Kulin graduated from the American
College for Girls, Istanbul, with a BA degree
in Literature. She then studied Political Science
at London School of Economics in London for
two years. In the 1970s, she worked for various
newspapers and magazines as a journalist
and editor. In the 1980s, she began a career
in public relations although she was never far
from the literary scene due to her engagements
as art director, stage manager and script writer
for television, advertising and cinema.
In 1996, her biography Bir Tatli Huzur (A Sweet
Peace) depicting the life of Turkish composer
Münir Nurettin Selçuk, was published. In Literary Awards
the same year, her short story “Foto Sabah Best Novel of the Year,
Turkish Writers’ Union (2008)
Resimleri” (Sabah Pictures) won first prize in Best Novel Award, European Council,
Haldun Taner Short Story Awards. This story Union of Jewish communities (2008)
Sait Faik Story Award (1999)
a year later lent its title to a new compilation of Haldun Taner Short Story Award (1998)
short stories which won the prestigious Sait Faik Selected Bibliography
Short Story Award. This success was followed Passenger of Hidden Voyages /
by another biography Adı Aylin (Name: Aylin) in Gizli Anların Yolcusu
Book of Bora / Bora’nın Kitabı
1997 which remained a best seller for more than
Titles Published in English
a year and lead to the selection of Ayşe Kulin as Farewell
the Writer of the Year by the students of Istanbul Last Train to Istanbul
Sarajevo – of Love and War
University’s Faculty of Communications. Ayşe Face to Face
Kulin’s novels have been translated into 30 Aylin: She Walks in Beauty Like the Night
languages and she was appointed as the Good Associated Publishers
Will Ambassador of UNICEF in January 2008. Everest Yayınları
Dalkey Archive Press
www.aysekulin.org Agent
Istanbul Copyright Agency
Events
Writing about Turkey
April 15, 18.45 – 20.15,
British Library Conference Centre,
London NW1 2DB
Page and Screen in Turkey:
Competitors or Collaborators?
April 16, 16.00 – 17.00,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
30

32. MARİO LEVİ
Mario Levi was born in 1957 and studied at
Istanbul’s Saint Michel High School before
graduating from Istanbul University in 1980
with a degree in French Literature. He began
his literary career publishing articles in the daily
Şalom before going on to write extensively
for periodicals and literary journals such
as Cumhuriyet, Stüdyo İmge, Milliyet Sanat,
Gösteri, Argos, Gergedan and Varlık. Levi’s first
full-length publication was an extension of his
university thesis, a biography entitled Jacques
Brel: A Lonely Man. His first collection of short
stories, Not Being Able to Go to a City, is partly
autobiographical, drawing on the author’s
Literary Awards
passions and memories of childhood, and was Yunus Nadi Novel Award (1999)
awarded the prestigious Haldun Taner Story Haldun Taner Story Award (1990)
Prize. His second collection of stories, Madame Selected Bibliography
Floridis May Not Return depicts a minority group My Istanbul Photographs / İçimdeki
İstanbul Fotoğrafları (2010)
in Istanbul and their struggle to adapt to a Where Were You When Darkness Fell /
rapidly changing society. Karanlık Çökerken Neredeydiniz (2009)
Our Best Love Story /
In 1992, Levi published his first novel Our Best En Güzel Aşk Hikayemiz (1992)
Love Story. Years later, Levi returned to the Titles Published in English
Istanbul Was a Fairy Tale (2012)
literary scene with his magnum opus Istanbul
Associated Publishers
Was a Fairy Tale, which tells the tale of a Jewish Doğan Kitap
family living in Istanbul. The story follows their Dalkey Archive Press
epic journey from Turkey’s early republic years Agent
in the early 1920s to the turbulent post-coup Kalem Agency
period in the 1980s. The story also sheds Events
What is Contemporary Writing from Turkey?
light on the plight of other minorities living in Celebrating Diversity
Turkey over these years. Besides being a noted April 16, 10.00 – 11.00,
author, Levi is a French teacher, an importer, Whitehall Room
a journalist, a radio programmer, copywriter Mario Levi in conversation with Amanda
Hopkinson
and a lecturer at Yeditepe University in Istanbul. April 17, 16.00 – 16.30,
English PEN Literary Café, Earls Court
www.mariolevi.com.tr
Insanbul: Writing from a Cosmopolitan
Perspective
April 17, 18.00 – 20.00,
SOAS Room 116, London WC1H 0XG
31

33. PERİHAN MAĞDEN
Born in Istanbul, Perihan Mağden has written
novels, poetry and worked as a columnist
in daily newspapers. She is the author of
Messenger Boy Murders, The Companion,
2 Girls, Escape, Ali and Ramazan and Yıldiz
Yaralanması (Star Wounds). Her novel, 2 Girls
was adapted to film by Kutluğ Ataman and
premiered at the London Film Festival.
Her novels have been translated into more
than 20 languages including English, German,
Italian, Spanish, Russian, Korean, Portuguese,
French and Dutch. She is the honorary
member of British PEN and given the Grand
Award for Freedom of Speech by Turkish Selected Bibliography
Publishers Association. Star Wounds / Yıldız Yaralanması
Ali and Ramazan / Ali ve Ramazan
Who Were We Running From, Mother? /
Biz Kimden Kaçıyorduk Anne?
Titles Published in English
Messenger Boy Murders
2 Girls
Escape
Ali and Ramazan
Associated Publishers
Everest Yayınları
AmazonCrossing
Events
Your Voice, My Voice
April 15, 18.30 – 20.30,
Free Word, London EC1R 3GA
What is Contemporary Writing from Turkey?
Celebrating Diversity
April 16, 10.00 – 11.00,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
32

34. Bejan Matur
Bejan Matur was born of an Alevi Kurdish family
on 14 September 1968 in the ancient Hittite city
of Maraş in Southeast Turkey. Her first school
education was in her village; later she attended
the long-established Lycée in the region’s
most important cultural centre Gaziantep.
These years were spent living with her sisters
far from their parents. She studied Law at
Ankara University, but has never practiced.
In her university years, she was published in
several literary periodicals. Reviewers found
her poetry “dark and mystic”. Her shamanist
poetry with its pagan perceptions of her
birthplace and the nature and life of her village,
Literary Awards
belonging to the past rather than the present, Best Translation of the Year, Poetry Society
attracted much attention. Orhon Murat Arıburnu Poetry Award (1997)
Halil Kocagöz Poetry Award (1997)
Since 2005 she has written regular articles for Selected Bibliography
the op-ed of daily newspapers as a columnist, Looking Behind the Mountain /
Dağın Ardına Bakmak (2010)
writing mainly on Kurdish politics, the Armenian Sea of Fate / Kader Denizi (2009)
issue, daily politics, minority problems, prison The Gate of East: Diyarbakır /
literature, and women issues. She is the former Doğunun Kapısı: Diyarbakır (2009)
How Abraham Abandoned me /
director of Diyarbakır Cultural Art Foundation, İbrahim’in Beni Terketmesi (2008)
which is located in Diyarbakır. She has also In His Desert / Onun Çölünde (2002)
conducted social projects with children, women Titles Published in English
How Abraham Abandoned Me (2012)
and the younger population who were removed In the Temple of a Patient God (2004)
from their villages. 2011 she joined the Council
Associated Publishers
of Experts for DPI (Democratic Progress Timaş Yayınları
Institute) which mainly focuses on conflict Arc
resolution. Currently she works as an expert on Events
Turkish Literature in the UK
Kurdish issues. Bejan Matur, who believes there April 15, 13.00 – 14.00,
is no frontier between poetry and life, travels the Whitehall Room, Earls Court
world like a long-term desert nomad. She stops Poetry and Language: Step-Mothertongue
by Istanbul, a city she sometimes lives in. April 18, 18.00 – 20.00,
SOAS Room, T101–102, London WC1H 0XG
33

35. Murat Menteş
Murat Menteş began his literary life writing
poetry, which he started to publish in the early
1990s. He edited a weekly magazine, Gerçek
Hayat (Real Life), for six years, and first attracted
intellectual attention with his two books, A
Humble Contribution to Chaos and Barricades
With Mirrors. Those books contained essays
which showed a very rich literary taste. He
pioneered the website Afili Filintalar, which
includes writers of different political stances
and artistic approaches, with a focus on high
culture, art and style.
He prepared and presented a TV show called
Klark with Samed Karagöz. He interviewed Literary Awards
renowned artists, scientists and politicians Novel of the Year,
Turkish Writers’ Union (2009)
of Turkey for national daily newspaper Star.
Selected Bibliography
He reviewed movies for weekly magazine Abstract Soul / Ruhi Mücerret (2013)
Nokta and worked as copywriter for national Guaranteed Quarantine /
Garanti Karantina (2010)
TV network TRT. Some of his scripts for TV were Don’t Be Afraid, I Am Here /
filmed by Turkish director Onur Ünlü. Film rights Korkma Ben Varım (2009)
for his novel Double’s Dilemma have already Double’s Dilemma / Dublörün
Dilemması (2005)
been bought and the movie is in the process of
Associated Publishers
production. He wrote the script for an animated Şule Yayınları
movie, Evliya Çelebi, which is now being İletişim Yayınları
produced by a multinational team stationed Events
in US, Mexico, India and Indonesia. Menteş Turkish Translation Slam!
April 17, 13.30 – 14.30,
is currently writing a column for daily Turkish Literary Translation Centre, Earls Court
newspaper Yeni Şafak. Future of Literature in Turkey
April 17, 14.30 – 15.30,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Crime in the City
April 19, 19.00 – 20.00,
Central Library, Edinburgh EH1 1EG
34

36. Murathan Mungan
Murathan Mungan was born in 1955 in Istanbul.
He studied Drama at Ankara University and
completed a Masters degree in the same
department. He worked for the State Theatre
as a dramaturge then Arts and Culture Editor
for the daily Soz newspaper. He then became
a full time writer and has been living in Istanbul
since 1988.
One of the most prominent and prolific
contemporary writers of Turkey, Murathan
Mungan has published poetry, short stories,
plays, novels, screenplays, radio plays, essays,
film and theatre criticism, and political columns.
He has written over fifteen poetry books, among Literary Awards
them Osmanlıya Dair Hikâyat (Stories on the Erdal Öz Literature Award (2012)
Ottomans), and Metal and Yaz Geçer (Summer Selected Bibliography
The Brick / Tuğla
Too Passes) which has attained the status Pocketbook of Love / Aşkın Cep Defteri
of a cult book due to its enduring popularity. The Poet’s Novel / Şairin Romanı
Doğu Sarayı / The Palace of the East
A selection of his poems were translated and Cities of Women / Kadından Kentler
published in Kurdish as Li Rojhilatê Dilê Min
Associated Publishers
(In the East of my Heart). His works have also Metis Kitap
been translated into Bosnian, Bulgarian, Dutch, Agent
English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, AnatoliaLit Copyright and Translation Agency
Norwegian, Persian and Swedish. Most recently Events
Murathan Mungan in conversation
a selection of his short stories were published with Maureen Freely
in German under the title Palast Des Ostens April 16, 14.30 – 15.00,
and his semi-autobiographical narrative Paranın English PEN Literary Café, Earls Court
Cinleri (Money Djinns) in Greek this year. Insanbul: Writing from a
Cosmopolitan Perspective
His latest publications in Turkish are Kâğıt Taş April 17, 18.00 – 20.00,
SOAS Room 116, London WC1H 0XG
Kumaş (Paper Stone Fabric) a play in three parts;
Writing Turkey
Büyümenin Türkçe Tarihi (The History of Growing April 18, 19.00 – 21.00,
Up in Turkish), a volume of short stories from Arcola Theatre, London E8 3DL
the history of modern Turkish literature, and
most recently, Yedi Kapılı Kırk Oda (Forty Rooms
with Seven Doors), a book of short stories.
www.murathanmungan.com
35

37. Barış Müstecaplıoğlu
Barış Müstecaplıoğlu was born in 1977.
After graduating as a Civil Engineer from the
Bosphorus University, he began working as
a Human Resources Professional. His short
stories for youth as well as his book reviews
are published in reputable literary magazines.
Since the Legends of Perg series, he has
written three novels in different genres. The
Disciple is about young missionaries of Islam
and was published in 2005. The Brother’s
Blood, a thriller about street children and the
crime organizations using them will be released
next year. In 2009, he published Beautiful
Dreams which was based on the drawings of Literary Awards
a shamanist painter named Mohammed of the İstek Foundation Alumni Association’s
İffet Esen Short Story Award (1995)
Black Pen who lived in 14th century. His last
Selected Bibliography
book which is in the fantasy genre is The Land The Land of Shamans / Şamanlar Diyarı
of Shamans. Using the flexibility of a fantasy Beautiful Dreams / Bir Hayaldi
Gerçekten Güzel
land, this novel questions prejudices toward The Land in the Sky / Gökyüzündeki Ülke
different nations and races, and all genocides The Brother’s Blood / Kardeş Kanı
throughout history. The Disciple / Şakird
Associated Publishers
Today this novel is read in many high schools Metis Kitap
at literature classes. Legend of Perg books İthaki Publishing
were published in Bulgaria, Serbia, China and Agent
Kalem Agency
will be published in Germany. Beautiful Dreams
Events
has been published in Syria, Brothers’ Blood Innovation and the Novel
has been published in Poland, Romania and April 15, 18.30 – 19.30,
will soon be published in India. One of his The Gallery at Foyles, London WC2H 0EB
crime stories was published in America in an New Fiction: Fantasy and Crime
April 17, 11.30 – 12.30,
anthology entitled Istanbul Noir. He is one of the Whitehall Room, Earls Court
founders, and the General Coordinator, of the
Fantasy and Science Fiction Arts Association.
www.barismustecaplioglu.com
36

38. Asli E. Perker
Aslı E. Perker was born in İzmir and moved all
around the country because of her father’s job
throughout her school years. She graduated
from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences American
Studies Department at Dokuz Eylül University.
She started her writing career at an ad agency
as a copy writer and then turned to journalism.
She worked at Aktüel News Magazine and
Radikal, Yeni Binyıl and Sabah Newspapers.
After relocating to New York in 2001, she
worked as a translator/interpreter and started
focusing on her literature career. Her first novel,
Başkalarının Kokusu was published in 2005. Her
second novel Cellat Mezarlığı followed in 2009.
Selected Bibliography
Her latest novel Soufflé came out in February The Scent of the Others / Başkalarının
2011. She still continues to write for various Kokusu
Executioner’s Graveyard / Cellat Mezarlığı
magazines and newspapers and lives
Titles Published in English
in New York, Istanbul and Foça. Soufflé (2013)
Associated Publishers
Çınar Yayınları
Telegram
Agent
Kalem Agency
Events
Writing about Turkey
April 15, 18.45 – 20.15,
British Library Conference Centre,
London NW1 2DB
At the Crossroads of Culture:
Writing Turkey from a Distance
April 16, 13.00 – 14.00,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
37

39. Elif Shafak / Şafak
Elif Shafak is an award-winning novelist and
the most widely read woman writer in Turkey.
Critics have named her as ‘one of the most
distinctive voices in contemporary literature
in both Turkish and English’. Her books have
been translated into more than thirty languages
and she was awarded the honorary distinction
of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters.
Shafak has published twelve books, eight
of which are novels. She writes fiction in both
Turkish and English.
Shafak blends Western and Eastern traditions
of storytelling, bringing out the myriad stories
of women, minorities, immigrants, subcultures, Literary Awards
youth and global souls. Her work draws on Marka Award, Turkey (2010)
Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres,
diverse cultures and literary traditions, as well France (2010)
as deep interest in history, philosophy, Sufism, Turkish Journalists and Writers Foundation,
The Art of Coexistence Award (2009)
oral culture, and cultural politics. She also Best Novel, Turkish Writers’ Union (2000)
has a keen eye for black humour. Her novels Pinhan, The Great Rumi Award,
include The Bastard of Istanbul, The Forty Rules Turkey (1998)
of Love, and Honour, which was published in Selected Bibliography
Honour / İskender (2012)
April 2012 by Penguin. She has a column in a The Forty Rules of Love / Aşk (2010)
major Turkish newspaper and contributes to The Bastard of Istanbul / Baba ve Piç (2006)
The Flea Palace / Bit Palas (2005)
newspapers and magazines around the world, The Gaze / Mahrem (2000)
including the New York Times, the Guardian Associated Publishers
and Corriere della Serra. Doğan Kitap
Penguin
www.elifshafak.com Agent
Curtis Brown
Events
The London Book Fair Author of the Day
April 16
Elif Shafak in conversation with Gaby Wood
April 16, 11.30 – 12.00,
English PEN Literary Café, Earls Court
Women, Freedom and the Islamic World
April 18, 18.45 – 21.30,
Asia House, London W1G 7LP
38

40. Ece Temelkuran
Born 1973 in Turkey, Ece Temelkuran is one
of Turkey’s best-known journalists and political
commentators. She has been a journalist since
1993 and has been writing political columns
since 2000. Her investigative journalism books
broach subjects that are highly controversial
in Turkey, such as Kurdish and Armenian
issues, the women’s movement, and political
prisoners. She has published widely and won
numerous awards for her work, including the
Pen for Peace Award and Turkish Journalist
of the Year. She was also a visiting fellow at
the University of Oxford’s Reuters Institute for
the Study of Journalism.
Literary Awards
As a writer she has published twelve books Free Thought and Democracy Award, Turkish
Doctors Association (2009)
and two of her books; Deep Mountain: Across Ayşenur Zarakolu Freedom to Thought
the Turkish-Armenian Divide and Book of the Award, Human Right Association (2008)
Pen for Peace Award, The Journalists
Edge is published in English. Her first novel Association (2001)
Muz Sesleri (The Sound of Bananas) has Selected Bibliography
recently been published in Arabic, and is The Sound of Bananas / Muz Sesleri
currently being translated for publication in We Are Having a Revolution Here, Senorita! /
Biz Burada Devrim Yapıyoruz Sinyorita!
seven countries including the Netherlands.
Titles Published in English
Ece Temelkuran’s articles have been published Deep Mountain (2010)
in Nawaat, New Left Review, Le Monde Associated Publishers
Diplomatique, Global Voices Advocacy, Everest Yayınları
Al Akhbar, New Statesman and the Guardian. Verso
Agent
www.ecetemelkuran.com Kalem Agency
Events
Ece Temelkuran in conversation
with Gillian Slovo
April 15, 16.00 – 16.30,
English PEN Literary Café, Earls Court
The Writer and the Journalist
April 17, 18.30 – 19.30,
The Gallery at Foyles, London WC2H 0EB
Writing Turkey
April 18, 19.00 – 21.00,
Arcola Theatre, London E8 3DL
39

41. Tarık Tufan
Tarık Tufan was born in 1973 in Istanbul, studied
at Kabataş High School and then completed
a degree in philosophy at Istanbul University.
He later did a master’s in sociology at the
Middle Eastern and Islamic Countries Institute
of Marmara University. Tufan writes for various
newspapers and magazines and also presents
literary chat shows on television. He was one
of the scriptwriters for the film Uzak İhtimal
(Long Shot).
Selected Bibliography
The Choir of Stuttering Children /
Kekeme Çocuklar Korosu
And You Will Become a Bird and Fly Away /
Ve Sen Kuş Olup Gidersin
Hayal Meyal
Associated Publishers
Profil Publishing
Events
Page and Screen in Turkey:
Competitors or Collaborators?
April 16, 16.00 – 17.00,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
New Media: Literature and Authorship
‘Online’ Literature
April 17, 13.00 – 14.00,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
40

42. Ayfer Tunç
Ayfer Tunç was born in Adapazarı in 1964.
She graduated from the Istanbul University
Faculty of Political Sciences. During her
university years, she wrote many articles for
various literature, culture and art magazines.
In 1989, she entered the Yunus Nadi Short Story
Competition organized by the daily Cumhuriyet
newspaper winning first prize with her short
story Saklı (Hidden). From 1999 – 2004 she
worked as the chief editor of Yapı Kredi
Publishing House.
Her book Maniniz Yoksa Annemler Size Gelecek-
70’li Yıllarda Hayatımız (My Parents Will Visit You
If You Aren’t Occupied - Our Life in the ‘70s) Literary Awards
was published in 2001 was met with great International Balkanika Award (2003)
Yunus Nadi Short Story Prize (1989)
enthusiasm. In 2003, the same book won
Selected Bibliography
the International Balkanika Award, co-organized Motherland Stories / Memleket Hikayeleri
by seven Balkan countries, and qualified for The Night of Green Fairy / Yeşil Peri Gecesi
The Very Erroneously Narrated Short History
being translated into six Balkan languages. of a Madhouse / Bir Deliler Evinin Yalan Yanlış
In addition, the book was published in Arabic Anlatılan Kısa Tarihi
in Syria and Lebanon. Ayfer Tunç also wrote This They Call Life / Ömür Diyorlar Buna
Evvelhotel / Evvelotel
a script titled Havada Bulut (Cloud in the Sky),
Associated Publishers
based on short stories by Sait Faik, and it was İletişim Yayınları
filmed and broadcast on TRT. Can Yayınları
Agent
www.ayfertunc.com Kalem Agency
Events
Page and Screen in Turkey:
Competitors or Collaborators?
April 16, 16.00 – 17.00,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Alone in a Crowd: From Istanbul to Cardiff
April 18, 19.30 – 20.30,
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff CF10 5AL
41

43. AHMET ÜMİT
Ahmet Ümit was born in 1960 in the city of
Gaziantep in southern Turkey. He moved to
Istanbul in 1978 to attend university. In 1983, he
both graduated from the Public Administration
Faculty of Marmara University, and wrote his
first story. An active member of the Turkish
Communist Party from 1974 until 1989, Ümit
took part in the underground movement for
democracy while Turkey was under the rule
of a military dictatorship between 1980 – 1990.
In 1985-86, he illegally attended the Academy
for Social Sciences in Moscow. Ümit worked
in the advertising sector from 1989 – 1998 and
is currently employed as cultural advisor at
Selected Bibliography
the Goethe Foundation in Istanbul. He has Istanbul / Sultanı Öldürmek
one daughter, Gül. A Memento for Istanbul / İstanbul Hatırası
The Dervish Gate / Bab-ı Esrar
Since 1989, Ümit has published one volume of Bracelet of Ninatta / Ninatta’nın Bileziği
The Puppet / Kukla
poetry, three volumes of short stories, a book
Titles Published in English
of fairytales, one novella, and six novels. One of A Memento for Istanbul (2011)
Turkey’s most renowned contemporary authors, Patasana (2011)
Ümit is especially well-known for his mastery The Dervish Gate (2011)
of the mystery genre, as reflected in many of Associated Publishers
Everest Yayınları
his bestselling novels and short story volumes.
Agent
Drawing upon the unique political and historical Kalem Agency
background of his home country, Ümit delves Events
into the psyches of his well-wrought characters New Fiction: Fantasy and Crime
as he weaves enthralling tales of murder and April 17, 11.30 – 12.30,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
political intrigue.
Crime in the City
www.ahmetumit.com April 19, 19.00 – 20.00,
Central Library, Edinburgh EH1 1EG
42

44. Mehmet Yashin
Mehmet Yashin is a poet, novelist and essayist.
He is one of the most translated poets from his
generation. His works have been translated into
more than 20 languages and widely published
in Europe, including Britain. The different voice
and sensibility he brings to Turkish language
poetry and prose is based on hybrid literary
sources, combining the Turkish, Greek and
Levantine cultures of the Mediterranean. He
was born in Neapolis, the last cosmopolitan
neighbourhood of Nicosia, during the final years
of British rule in Cyprus. His books have played
an important role in re-defining the literary
tradition in Turkish, giving special due value to
Literary Awards
the literatures of non-Muslim minorities and the Memet Fuat Literary Criticism
unrecognised literary heritage of Turkey. and Study Prize (2005)
Cevdet Kudret Novel Prize (1995)
Yashin is the first ‘outsider’ poet, novelist Turkish Academy Poetry Prize (1985)
A. Kadir Poetry Prize (1985)
and essayist to have been recognised from
Selected Bibliography
his young age as a contemporary author in Kalbi Durmuş Zamanda
Turkish literature, despite not having been Turuncu Kuş
born in Turkey, and being a British citizen. Toplu Şiirler
Kozmopoetika
He studied political sciences, history and Pathos
literature at the universities of Ankara, Istanbul, Titles Published in English
Athens, Birmingham and London Middlesex. Wartime (2007)
Don’t Go Back to Kyrenia (2001)
He has taught comparative literature, translation Step-Mothertongue: From Nationalism
studies and contemporary Turkish literature to Multiculturalism (2000)
at various universities in Britain, Turkey Associated Publishers
and Cyprus. He lives between in Istanbul, Everest Yayınları
Nicosia and Cambridge. He has published Agent
AnatoliaLit Copyright and
8 poetry collections, 2 novels, 3 essays and Translation Agency
a literary study.
Events
Writing in a Changing Turkey
www.mehmetyashin.com April 15, 11.30 – 12.30,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
Poetry and Language: Step-Mothertongue
April 18, 18.00 – 20.00,
SOAS Room, T101–102, London WC1H 0XG
43

45. SALİH ZENGİN
Salih Zengin was born in 1974 in Andırın,
Kahramanmaraş. He graduated from Marmara
University, Faculty of Communication,
Department of Journalism. He has worked as
a desk editor of the children’s literary magazine
Mavikuş published in 1996. Mavikuş received
the 1997 Children’s Publication of the Year
Award given by the Turkish Writers Association.
He worked as editor of the children’s page
in the Zaman newspaper for two years.
He was chosen Author of the Year for his
children’s books and received the 2003
Children’s Literature Award in the ‘Authors,
Philosophers and Artists of the Year’ Literary Awards
competition held by the Turkish Writers Author of the Year by the Turkish
Writers Association (2003)
Association. In addition, he was chosen the Children’s Literature Award by the
Author of the Year by the students of many Turkish Writers Association (2003)
private schools. He is currently an editor for Selected Bibliography
One Meow Two Woof Woof /
the Sunday insert of the Zaman newspaper Bir Miyav İki Hav Hav
and prepares a weekly program for a private Very Blue Stories / Çok Mavi Hikayeler
TV station. He has had sixteen books for Pop Cap / Gazoz Kapağı
Ostriches Don’t Make Plans /
children published. Devekuşları Plan Yapmaz
Associated Publishers
Ağaç Kitabevi Publishing
Erdem Yayınları
Events
New Media: Literature and
Authorship ‘Online’ Literature
April 17, 13.00 – 14.00,
Whitehall Room, Earls Court
44

46. PANELLISTS
Ellah Allfrey Müge Gürsoy Sökmen
Lisa Appignanesi Daniel Hahn
Buket Aşçi Amanda Hopkinson
FİLİZ AYGÜNDÜZ Feyza Howell
Ned Beauman Anjali Joseph
Sarwat Chadda Canan Marasligil
Stella Duffy Barbara Nadel
Joe Dunthorne Kamila Shamsie
Cem ERCİYES Gillian Slovo
Izzy Finkel Sophie Smiley
Maureen Freely Amy Spangler
Maggie Gee Faruk Şüyün
Jo Glanville Sara Whyatt
Turhan Günay Gaby Wood
45

47. Ellah Allfrey
Ellah Allfrey, OBE is Deputy Editor of Granta magazine
and editor at large for Granta Books. She sits on the
boards of the Writers’ Centre Norwich and the Caine Prize
for African Writing and is Deputy Chair of the Council
of the Caine Prize.
Lisa Appignanesi
Lisa Appignanesi, OBE, is the former President of English
PEN and one of the editors of Fifty Shades of Feminism.
Her most recent books are All About Love: Anatomy of an
Unruly Emotion and Mad, Bad and Sad: A History of Women
and the Mind Doctors. Her novels include The Memory
Man. She is Visiting Professor in Literature and the Medical
Humanities at King’s College London. Amongst other
prizes, she was a judge of the Orange Prize 2012. Photo Credit - Laura McCluskey
Buket Aşçi
Buket Aşçı was born in 1974 in Kastamonu. She graduated
from Istanbul University, Department of Economics and
started her career as a journalist in Milliyet Sanat. After
holding various positions at many media outlets, she joined
Vatan in 2002. Currently she is columnist at Vatan and chief
editor of Vatan Book Supplement and www.vatankitap.com.
tr. In addition she prepares TV programmes on books and
literature on SkyTURK and TV8. She prepares and presents
‘The Books of the Week’ programme on NTV. Aşçı is also
the producer of various radio programmes and supervisor
of several organisations on art, culture and branding.
46