O. Z. Livaneli, born in 1946, is a best-selling Turkish author who is considered one of the most significant and influential authors and intellectuals of his time. His recent Turkish publisher, Dogan-Egmont only, sold more than 7 million copies of his books combined in the last four years and he won numerous literary awards, both in his home country and abroad. Although his books are viewed as highly literary, Livaneli is considered the most-selling contemporary author of Turkey today.
Livaneli is known for his novels that interweave diverse social and historical backgrounds, figures, and incidents, such as in ‘Bliss’ which won Barnes & Noble’s ‘Discovery of Great New Writers Award’ in 2006, and in his critically acclaimed ‘Serenade for Nadia’, ‘Leyla’s House’, and ‘My Brother’s Story’, which were all translated into 37 languages and won numerous Turkish and International literary awards, and were highly praised by prominent literary critics around the world. His fiction ‘Serenade for Nadia’ and ‘Disquiet’, sold more than 1.000.000 copies and keeps selling still. His novels have been turned into theatrical movies, stage plays, and operas.
Livaneli was detained in the military during the coup of 1971 and had to leave Turkey in 1972. He lived in Stockholm, Paris, Athens, and New York where he met and collaborated with artists and intellectuals such as Elia Kazan, Arthur Miller,James Baldwin, and Peter Ustinov among others. Livaneli returned to Turkey in 1984.
Livaneli’s works and cultural and political activities and contributions to world peace were recognized by UNESCO in 1995 when he was appointed Goodwill Ambassador to UNESCO — a post he resigned from in 2016 to protest the organization’s failure to condemn the Turkish government’s destruction of the Kurdish historical sites in Turkey. He also served a term in the Turkish Parliament as well as in the Council of Europe.
Livaneli received the Legion D’Honneur, the highest French order of military and civil merits, in 2014.
Livaneli is as accomplished as a writer as he is as a composer, cultural and political activist. Although he first became known for his contemporary music, Livaneli turned his focus to writing, in the last decade, when he realized that literature was closer to his heart. Now, several cultural centres and parks are built in his name and his statues erected in various parts of Turkey.
He now lives in Istanbul, Turkey with his wife Ulker Livaneli.