Zülfü Livaneli
| Zülfü Livaneli | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | June 20, 1946 |
| Nationality | Turkish |
| Occupation | Author, poet, composer, politician, human rights activist |
| Notable work | 'Bliss, My Brother's Story, Serenade for Nadia |
| Spouse(s) | Ulker Livaneli |
| Children | Aylin Livaneli |
| Awards | Barnes & Noble 'Discovery of a Great New Author Award', 2006 (Bliss) - Balkan Literary Award for 'Best Novel', 1997 (The Eunuch of Constantinople) - Yunus Nadi Literary Award for 'Best Novel', 2001 (Memory of Snow)] - Orhan Kemal Literary Award for 'Best Novel', 2009 (Last Island) |
| Website | Livaneli's Official Website |
Ömer Zülfü Livaneli, born June 20, 1946, is a prominent Turkish musician, author, poet, and politician.
Livaneli is known for his novels that interweave diverse social and historical backgrounds, figures, and incidents, such as in Bliss which won the Barnes & Noble's Discovery of Great New Writers Award in 2006, and in his critically acclaimed Serenade for Nadia, Leyla's House, and My Brother's Story, which were all translated into 37 languages and won numerous Turkish and International literary awards, and were highly praised by prominent literary critics around the world. His novels have been turned into theatrical movies, stage plays, and operas.
Livaneli was imprisoned several times during the 1971 Turkish coup d'état because of his political views and had to leave Turkey in 1972 and went on exile. He lived in Stockholm, Paris, Athens, and New York where he met and collaborated with artists and intellectuals such as Elia Kazan, Arthur Miller, James Baldwin, and Peter Ustinov among others. Livaneli returned to Turkey in 1984.
His works and cultural and political activities and contributions to world peace were recognized by UNESCO in 1995 when he was appointed Goodwill Ambassador to UNESCO—a post he still holds today. He served a term in the Turkish Parliament as well as in the Council of Europe.
Livaneli is as accomplished as a writer as he is as a poet and a songwriter, cultural and political activist. Although he first became known for his contemporary music, Livaneli turned his focus to writing, in the last decades, when he realized that literature was closer to his heart. His first collection of short stories, A Child in Purgatory, published in 1978 was turned into a movie by Swedish and German TV.He is also a prominent social-democrat politician and was a member of the Turkish parliament for one term. Livaneli's novels have been turned into theatrical movies, stage plays, and operas.
Livaneli is known for his contemporary music, in much the same way as Bob Dylan and his contemporaries in the United States were in the 60's. His 1997 Ankara concert was attended by no less than 500 thousand people. His collaborations with Mikis Theodorakis of Greece have been noted as a gesture of bringing together the two countries. Livaneli has been a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador since 1996.
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Wikipedia