Mevlüt Kaplan (born 1930
Akşehir
Akşehir is a town and district of Konya Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 114,918 of which 63,000 live in the town of Akşehir.
The town is situated at the edge of a fertil ...
) is a Turkish writer.
Early life
Mevlüt Kaplan was born in the village of Ökes in Akşehir province. When he was nine years old his mother died, as did two of his brothers soon after. His father worked in construction, and the young Mevlüt helped him run the household.
As a boy he was apprenticed, and worked as a shepherd. He was so determined to go to school that he walked five kilometres to another village and back each day. Other boys also did so to begin with, but soon gave up. He was able to walk this distance even in the winter snow because his father made him shoes out of a car tyre.
After graduating from Ivriz Village Institute he became a village teacher in Akşehir. The publication of his story ''Me and Our Donkey'' in "Nasreddin Hoca Newspaper", published by
Tarık Buğra
Süleyman Tarık Buğra (2 September 1918 – 26 February 1994) was a Turkish journalist, novelist and short story author. He was well-known author at Republican literature in his country. He was honoured as a State Artist in 1991. Buğra is the ...
and his father, led to his being accused and later cleared of being a Communist.
Professional and literary life
In 1958 he went abroad and studied world children's literature in London. When he returned to Turkey he worked as a teacher in
Konya, as a primary school inspector in
Mersin
Mersin (), also known as İçel, is a large city and a port on the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey. It is the provincial capital of Mersin Province, Mersin (İçel) Province. It is made up of four municipalities and dis ...
,
Antalya and
Izmir, and as a member of the Select Committee of the Ministry of Culture (1996-2000).
In 1965, together with
Fakir Baykurt
Fakir Baykurt or born Tahir Baykurt (15 June 1929 – 11 October 1999) was a Turkish author and trade unionist.
Early life
Fakir Baykurt was born Tahir on 15 June 1929, son of Elif and Veli Baykurt, in Akçaköy which is a district of Burdur ...
and 93 colleagues he founded the Turkish Teachers’ Union.
He retired in 1981.
He moved to Izmir where he runs the Özgür Eğitim (Free Education) publishing house
and where the street on which he lives has been renamed after him.
Legacy
Kaplan has authored 720 books, including six collections of poetry.
His works include tales, memoirs, short stories, novels and poetry. He has received d twelve prizes and awards for his poetry, short stories and criticism. Every year a literary competition and prize is offered in his name.
See also
*
Fakir Baykurt
Fakir Baykurt or born Tahir Baykurt (15 June 1929 – 11 October 1999) was a Turkish author and trade unionist.
Early life
Fakir Baykurt was born Tahir on 15 June 1929, son of Elif and Veli Baykurt, in Akçaköy which is a district of Burdur ...
*
Mahmut Makal Mahmut Makal (January 1, 1930, Gülağaç, Aksaray – August 10, 2018, Ankara) was a Turkish writer, poet and teacher who initiated the "Village Literature" movement in 1950 with the publication of his book ‘''Bizim Köy''’ (''Our Village''). ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaplan, Mevlut
1930 births
20th-century Turkish writers
People from Akşehir
Living people