Farewell to Yaşar Kemal, towering author of Turkish literature

Turkey is bidding farewell to its towering man of letters Yaşar Kemal, not only a great author who published over 25 acclaimed novels and short stories throughout his life, but also an unflinching literary dissident who used his pen to give an unadulterated voice to the plight of his fellow countrymen: Today’s Zaman

Kemal, who died on Saturday at age 91, was a giant of turkish literature, acclaimed the world over for his solid, genuine depiction of the human condition and emotions as well as both the beauty and cruelty of nature in his own unique style reminiscent of folk stories.

Kemal, the bard of the Çukurova plains, the fertile land that nurtured him and his larger than life stories, will be laid to rest on Monday in İstanbul, his second home for over half a century.