ARAZ, Nezihe

Writer (b. 1922, Konya). She attended Ankara High School for Girls and graduated from Ankara University, Faculty of Communication, Department of Psychology and Philosophy (1946). She started to work as a reporter in the review Resimli Hayat (1953) and as a columnist in the newspapers Havadis (1957), Yeni Sabah (1957-62), Yeni İstanbul (1970), Milliyet and Güneş. She served in the edition of the encyclopedias such as Meydan Larousse and Türkiye Ansiklopedisi (Encyclopedia of Türkiye).

She tried to write the biographies of Turkish and Muslim Greats from her point of understanding faith. Her play Böyle Bir Nevcivan (Such a Juvenile) received award in the Play Competition of a newspaper in 1980. She was chosen as the Best Play Writer by the review İnanç in 1984. She received the Ministry of Culture Best Writer Award in 1989 with Savaş Yorgunu Kadınlar (Women Tired of Battle) and Avni Dilligil Play Award in 1988 with Afife Jale (Afife Jale).

WORKS:

POETRY: Benim Dünyam (My World, 1950), Bir Kırmızı Gül (A Red Rose, 1994), Yalnız Ağaç (The Lonely Tree, 1995).

BIOGRAPHY-STUDY: Fatih’in Deruni Hayatı (Fatih’s Private Life, 1953), Anadolu Evliyaları (Anatolian Saints, 1959), Peygamberler Peygamberi Hz. Muhammed (Mohammed, the Master of All Prophets, 1960), Hz. Peygamber’in Torunları (The Grandchildren of Prophet Mohammad, 1960), Dertli Dolap (The Troubled Cabinet, Life of Yunus Emre, 1961), Aşk Peygamberi Mevlana’nın Romanı (The Novel of Mevlana, The Prophet of Love, 1962), Yirmisekiz Peygamber (The Twenty Eight Prophet, 1963), Çocuk ve İslam (The Child and Islam, religious and moral articles for children, 1968), Gelin Canlar Bir Olalım (Come, Dears, Let’s Unite, 1972), Aşk Peygamberi (The Prophet of Love, about Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi, 1985), Mustafa Kemal’le 1000 Gün (1000 Days with Mustafa Kemal, 1993), Bir Zamanlar O da Çocuktu Adı: Mustafa (Once upon a Time He Was also a Child, name: Mustafa, 1999), Sen Latife Değil, Latif’sin (You are not Latife, You are Latif, 2002).

PLAY: Bozkır Güzellemesi (Praise for the Steppe, staged the State Theaters, 1974-75), Öyle Bir Nevcivan (Such a Juvenile, 1979), Alacakaranlık (The Twilight, 1981), İmparatorun İki Oğlu (Two Sons of the Emperor, 1983), Kar Yağdı Hatun (Kar Yağdı Hatun, opera, staged by İstanbul State Opera and Ballet, 1986), Afife Jale (Afife Jale, put on stage in 1987-88), Ballar Balını Buldum (I Have Found the Sweetest Honey, staged by State Theater and published, 1991), Savaş Yorgunu Kadınlar (Women Tired of Battle, staged in 1992).