Ahmet Ümit
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 very 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 the Goethe Foundation in Istanbul. He has one daughter Gül. Since 1989 Ümit has published one volume of poetry three volumes of short stories a book of fairytales one novella and six novels. One of Turkey’s most renowned contemporary authors Ümit is especially well-known for his
mastery of the mystery genre as reflected in many of his bestselling novels and
short story volumes. Drawing upon the unique political and historical background of his home country Ümit delves into the psyches of his
well-wrought characters as he weaves enthralling tales of murder and political intrigue.
“Bilmek her zaman güzel değildi. Anlamak sevinç vermiyordu her zaman. Çözmek aklı doyursa da ruha iyi gelmiyordu.”
“... Çünkü beden tüketir, gönül ise çoğaltır.”
“Beni sevenlerimden koruyun, düşmanlarımla nasıl olsa baş ederim.”
“Şahane bir aşk, çoğu zaman harcanmış bir hayat demektir.”
“Love is the common denominator that unites all people whatever religion they are.-Rumi”
“Either appear as you areOr be as you appearBe like the sun in compassion and mercyBe like the light in covering others' shameBe like a stream in generosity and beneficenceBe like earth in modesty and humilityBe like the sea in toleranceBe like death in irritability and angerEither appear as you areOr be as you appearThe Dervish Gate”
“Birini çok seversen, ama sahiden seversen, sana ne yapmış olursa olsun, eninde sonunda mutlaka bağışlanırsın.”
“Sevmek bir anlamda senden olmayana ulaşmak, bunun için çabalamak değil midir? Senden farklı olmayan birine niye ulaşmaya çalışasın ki?”
“…Öylece durup, Handan‘a dönüşen Evgenia’yı, Evgenia‘ya dönüşen Handan’ı ve bir anda ikisi birden olan Güzide‘yi izledim bir süre. İkisi beni bırakıp gitmiş olsa da, bu üç kadında aslında hep aynı kadını sevdiğimi düşündüm. Hangi kadını? İlk çocukluk arkadaşım, o çelimsiz liseli kızı mı, en güçlü dayanağım, can yoldaşım, cefakar karımı mı, yoksa yaşamın her şeye rağmen güzel olduğunu bana yeniden öğreten gün görmüş Evgenia’yı mı? Belki hepsini birden, belki hepsini ayrı ayrı ama üçünde de hep aynı kadını.”