Bilge Karasu: Exploring the Depths of Turkish Literature
Bilge Karasu, a prominent Turkish short story writer and novelist, was born on January 9, 1930, in Istanbul. He came from a Jewish origin family, whose parents later converted to Islam. After completing his education at Şişli Terakki High School and Istanbul University's Faculty of Literature, Department of Philosophy, Karasu went on to study in Europe with the support of a Rockefeller scholarship. He worked as a translator at the General Directorate of Press, Broadcasting, and Tourism, as well as the foreign broadcasting service of Ankara Radio. Additionally, he wrote radio plays for Ankara Radio. From 1974 until his passing, Karasu served as a lecturer at Hacettepe University's Philosophy Department. He resided in a small basement on Nilgün Street in Ankara for many years until his death on July 14, 1995, at Hacettepe University Hospital, where he was undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer. Karasu was buried in Karşıyaka Cemetery.