Author Hasan Sever’s new novel, “The Shadow of Childhood, Çocukluğun Gölgesi” consisting of three volumes, has released its first volume titled “Poyraz – Bozkış” under Ayrıntı Publishing! Set in the Elbistan-Malatya steppe, a region still relatively untouched in terms of literature, “The Shadow of Childhood” tells the story of the struggle of steppe people to preserve their cultural heritage through their own efforts, a theme not yet thoroughly explored in Turkish literature. The novel progresses through two parallel stories, also touching on the social and political upheavals of the pre-September 12 period and the 78 Generation.

“The Shadow of Childhood: Poyraz – Bozkış” is Hasan Sever’s new novel, whose previous works “Birazcık Halil” and “Su Duydum” were also published under Ayrıntı Publishing. The second volume titled “Ayaz – Çığ” and the third volume titled “Mavi” will be available to readers in the coming months.

“The Shadow of Childhood,” which places a region on the literary map, develops through the parallel stories of a Kızılbaş dervish and his apprentice wandering from village to village, and a man who goes to Istanbul to earn a living after military service. The novel explores the adventure of passing Anatolian wisdom from generation to generation, the struggle of steppe people to hold on to life, the voluntary exile of a village teacher, the social and political upheavals before September 12, and the 78 Generation.

A dervish and his apprentice, wandering from land to land in the steppe, carry the cultural legacy of the past into a new era through the magic of words. Young people today, dreaming of the future, are anxious about the approaching winter. The era is changing. Yesterday and tomorrow meet at the same point, and the shadow of the future begins to fall on the obstinacy of the past.

“What Xoca Nasır’s yeast added to the lake is the same as our effort in this steppe. Whether we grow roots or leaves, who knows? But if you ask if I’m satisfied, I’ll answer as Nazım Hikmet did when he told me in Çankırı Prison, ‘Memed, come sit with us,’ and after talking for a long time, said, ‘I am exceedingly pleased to have come into the world.’”

While Hasan Sever tells his story in the light of childhood, the doors are wide, the shadows long, but the world is small.

“The Shadow of Childhood: Poyraz – Bozkış” is now available on shelves and online sales sites!

About Hasan Sever

Hasan Sever was born in 1972 in Elbistan. He entered METU (Middle East Technical University) in 1989 and is one of the two founders of the METU Economics Society. Due to political reasons, he had to leave the country in October 1995 and has been living in Switzerland since then. He studied economics at the University of Zurich, was involved in the organization of the Free University/Zurich, and gave seminars. He worked as an editor and writer for the magazine “The Other Switzerland.” He has been writing regularly for nearly twenty years and is a member of PEN Switzerland. He has two novels published in Turkish. Additionally, his novel “Su Duydum” was translated into German as “Wasserrauschen” and published in 2021.

Novels:

Wasserrauschen, TRIKONTDuisburg & Edition Dialog, Duisburg 2021.

Birazcık Halil, Ayrıntı Publishing, Istanbul 2015.

Su Duydum, Ayrıntı Publishing, Istanbul 2017.