ALİ F. BİLİR – Turkish poet and author…
Ali F. Bilir was born in 1945 in Gülnar, Mersin, Turkey. He attended the School of Medicine for a year, but graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Istanbul, in 1969.
During his university years, he worked part-time at a tourist youth hostel in Istanbul as a reception clerk and later as a manager. In 1967, as an adventure, he toured Europe and North Africa, mainly on foot. For a while, he lived in Essex and London, England to improve his English, doing various jobs. He participated in the student and youth movements of 1968.
In 1970, he published 2 issues of the literary magazine called “North.” Between 1995-2005, he was the arts and culture reporter for the local newspapers, “Katılım” and “Yeni Gazete.”
His poems, short stories and articles on various subjects have been published in local, regional, national, and international periodicals, magazines, and journals. His work has won many awards. Bilir’s poetry book “Migration Ballads” is being granted by the Turkish government as one of the significant examples of Turkish written heritage. Migration Ballads is published by Plain View Press, U.S.A, in 2008, within the scope of TEDA project.
Ali F. Bilir is also a member of Turkish Authors Association (Edebiyatçılar Derneği), Writers Syndicate of Turkey (Türkiye Yazarlar Sendikası), The European Writer’s Council (EWC), Language Association of Turkey (Dil Derneği), National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS), and Big Bend Poets chapter of the Florida State Poets Association.
His published book in English is:
- Migration Ballads [2008-Plain View Press]
His published books in Turkish are:
Short Stories
- Üşüyen Sıcak Düşlerim (My Shivering Warm Dreams) [1994-E yayınları]
Poetry
- Göç Türküsü (Migration Ballads) [1995-E yayınları]
- Güz Anımsamaları (Autumn Reminiscences) [2003-E yayınları]
Critique
- Eleştiriden Günceye (From Critique to Diary) [1996-E yayınları]
Compilation
- Mersin’de Aydın Olmak (Being an Intellectual in Mersin) [2005-Etik yayınları, co-compiler: Orhan Özdemir]
Research
- Orta Asya’dan Toroslar’a Gülnar (Gülnar – From Central Asia to Taurus Mountains) [2007-Etik yayınları, co-author: F. Saadet Bilir]
Monograph
- Abdülkadir Bulut, “Kasabalı Lorca” – Yaşamöyküsü, Şiir, Yazı, Söyleşi ve Mektupları… (Abdulkadir Bulut, “Lorca the Townsman” – His Life, Poems, Articles, Interviews, and Letters) [2010-E Yayınları, co-author: F. Saadet Bilir]
- Abdülkadir Bulut’a Sevgi Sözleri (Love Words to Abdulkadir Bulut) [2010-E Yayınları, co-author: F. Saadet Bilir]