Turkish literary figures Ahmet Telli and Peyami Safa honored in new biographical works

The biography ‘Ahmet Telli: Şiirin, Hafızanın ve Direnişin İzinde Bir Yaşam’ by Füsun Demiray has been released following the death of the prominent Turkish poet Ahmet Telli. The book explores previously unknown aspects of Telli’s life, his literary struggles, and his memories.

One notable account in the biography describes a tense moment during the funeral of poet Cemal Süreya. Telli recounts how a young woman threw a book by Süreya into the grave, only to have the book thrown back at her by a man who stated that nothing besides a shroud should be appropriate for the deceased.

In a separate literary context, discussions continue regarding the legacy of Peyami Safa. Works such as Yücel Hacaloğlu’s ‘Sevenlerinin Kalemiyle Peyami Safa’ serve as collections of writings and tributes from those who followed the author’s prolific intellectual and polemical career.