Nesin Books started its journey in 2004 with the mission of publishing the complete works of Aziz Nesin and bringing his unpublished works into light by compiling them into new volumes. It is affiliated to the Nesin Foundation and serves as its main supporter.
Since 2004, Nesin Books has published over 80 titles of Aziz Nesin, which consist of collections of short stories, plays, poetry, memoirs, and political writings.
In 2007, popular mathematics books were included into its portfolio parallel to the foundation of Nesin Mathematics Village in Sirince, İzmir.
In 2009, Nesin Books has started to publish illustrated children books from local and foreign writers, which compose the collection of Nesin Children Paradise . So far 34 titles have been published in this collection.
For a complete list of our publications, click here .
Aziz Nesin and Nesin Foundation
Aziz Nesin, the master of humour in Turkish language, was a man, who could create echoes with his utterances. His stories gave birth to the phenomenon of “Aziz Nesinian situation”, which corresponds to absurd situations in daily life. He was not only a witness of 20th century's Turkey with his political attitude and satirical tongue, but was also in the very centre of events. But Aziz Nesin was also the Grandpa Aziz for the children of the Nesin Foundation, which he calls as his best work, as well as for the children of three generations, who have acquired the habit of reading with his books.
Born in 1915 to a poor family in Istanbul, Aziz Nesin has fit over a hundred works into his 80 years-long life. Even though he is famous for his humour stories and for his political stance, he gave works in various literary types and genres including poetry and dramas. Since the time he began to write, he was distinguished as a dissident figure, and spent several years in prison or exile.
Studying in public boarding schools, Aziz Nesin had always felt himself indebted to his people. He devoted his life to pay this debt with his writings and finally with his most outstanding work, the Nesin Foundation, which was founded in the outskirts of Istanbul in 1972. Nesin Foundation has been a shelter for children in need from all ages, who live there as a big family until they can stand on their own feet. Children attend the public schools in the neighbouring town and grow in a free environment, where they are provided with the facilities such as library, theatre, ceramic workshop, computers, swimming pool, sports hall, and a farm.
Nesin Foundation is funded with donations and with the copyrights of Aziz Nesin's books. It stands as a significant example of philanthropy in Turkey and demonstrates Nesin's devotion to children.
Aziz Nesin and Children Literature
Aziz Nesin's short stories appealed to readers of all ages, and many children in Turkey gain their reading habit with the works of Aziz Nesin.
However, he also gave works especially for children. The most famous of these works is Today's Children are Great (Şimdiki Çocuklar Harika), which consists of letters between two friends, who share issues concerning family, school and friends in a funny and entertaining way. Şimdiki Çocuklar Harika has been printed over 400.000 since its first edition in 1967.
Aziz Nesin in Other Languages
The works of Aziz Nesin have been translated to several languages including Russian, German, Arabic, Greek, etc. Below you can find some of the titles that have been translated into other languages.
For a list (still incomplete) of his works in other languages, click here .
Yaşar ne Yaşar ne Yaşamaz (Yaşar does not exist): Dutch, Greek, Bulgarian
Damda Deli Var (A Madman on the Roof, short stories): French, Romanian
Böyle Gelmiş Böyle Gitmez ( Istanbul Boy , memoirs): English, German,
İhtilali Nasıl Yaptık (How we made the Revolution, short stories): German
Şimdiki Çocuklar Harika (Today's Children are Great, children novel): Greek, Romanian, Hungarian
Doğ Güneşim Doğ (Rise my Sun, children stories): Greek, Norwegian
Tek Yol (The Only Way, novel): German, Russian
İt Kuyruğu (Dog Tail, short stories): Russian
Gol Kralı (Football King, novel): Russian, German
Zübük (novel): Kurdish, Bulgarian, Greek
Do something Met (Bişey Yap Met, play): Arabic, French
Bir Sürgünün Anıları (The Memoirs of an Exile, memoirs): Greek
Fil Hamdi (Hamdi, the Elephant, short stories): German