Ali F. Bilir

Ali F. Bilir (born in 1945 in Gülnar, Mersin, Turkey) is a poet, author and critic,active member of Turkish Authors Association. 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 to improve his English language skills, doing odd jobs such as picking fruit from trees, washing dishes and serving as a waiter at restaurants. He participated in the student and youth movements of 1968.

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. Ali F. Bilir`s last 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 [http://www.plainviewpress.net 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 ( [http://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edebiyatçılar_Derneği Edebiyatçılar Derneği] ) and Turkish Writers Syndicate ( [http://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Türkiye_Yazarlar_Sendikası Türkiye Yazarlar Sendikası] ).

Bibliography

*Üşüyen Sıcak Düşlerim ("My Shivering Warm Dreams") - Stories
*Göç Türküsü (Migration Ballad) - Poems
*Eleştiriden Günceye (From Critique to Diary) - Critiques and Diaries
*Güz Anımsamaları (Autumn Reminiscences) - Poems
*Mersin'de Aydın Olmak (Being an Intellectual in Mersin) - Compilation (co-compiler:Orhan Ozdemir_
*Orta Asya'dan Toroslar'a Gülnar (Gülnar – From Central Asia to Taurus Mountains) - Research: Language, Culture, Social Life (co-author: F. Saadet Bilir)
*Migration Ballads - Poems

Awards

Ali F.Bilir`s poems, short stories and articles on various subjects have been published in local, regional, national, and international periodicals, magazines, and journals. He has received many awards:

*1990, Günes Magazine (Sweden), fiction story award, 3rd place
*1993, Orhan Kemal fiction story award, 3rd place
*1996, Ibrahim Yildiz poetry award, Honorable Mention for the book of Göç Türküsü (Migration Ballads)
*1998, Samim Kocagöz fiction story award, 2nd place
*2004, S. Avni Olez poetry award, Jury Special Prize, for the poetry book of Güz Animsamalari (Autumn Reminiscences)

References

* [http://www.alifbilir.com Ali F. Bilir`s personal website]
* [http://www.tedaproject.com/en TEDA Project]
* [http://www.tedaproject.com/en/BelgeGoster.aspx?17A16AE30572D313AC302172C9058B835BE411945F89C899 Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Culture and Tourism website that promotes Ali F. Bilir`s last book "Migration Ballads"]
* [http://www.plainviewpress.net/gallery2/pages/MigrationBallads.htm Ali F. Bilir`s last book "Migration Ballads" is published by Plain View Press]
* [http://www.edebiyatcilardernegi.org.tr Turkish Authors Association]