Mario Levi was born in 1957 in Istanbul. He graduated from Saint Michel High School in 1975, from Istanbul University the Faculty of Literature French Language and Literature Department in 1980. His first articles were published in the newspaper "Şalom". These were followed by his other articles in the publication organs like "Cumhuriyet", "Studyo Imge", "Milliyet Sanat", "Gosteri", "Argos", "Gergedan", "Varlik". His first published book was "Jacques Brel: A Lonely Man". This book is a novelized version of his university graduation thesis. His first book of short stories, "Not Being Able to Go to a City" was published in 1990. These autobiographical stories are an account of the writer with both his loves, his childhood and preteen years. The book won the Haldun Taner Story Prize of the year. His second book of short stories, "Madame Floridis May Not Return" published in 1991, includes people in Istanbul who are having difficulty in adapting to their own minority group and to society. In 1992, his first novel, "Our Best Love Story," was published. Then a long silence took place. His 800-page novel, "Istanbul Was a Fairy Tale", published in 1999, is the story of a Jewish family who lived in Istanbul between the 1920s and 1980s. The heroes of the other minorities in the city are also seen in this novel. Mario Levi, in addition to being a writer, has also been a French teacher, an importer, a journalist, a radio programmer and a copywriter. He is still giving lectures at Yeditepe University. He also teaches creative writing to the people who have set their hearts on trying to express their thoughts. Levi's latest novel "Where Were You When Darkness Fell?" was published in January 2009, which has received very good reviews.
Works in the other Languages
Istanbul war ein Märchen Suhrkamp Verlag 2008 – Germany – Wo wart ihr, als die Finsternis hereinbrach? Suhrkamp Verlag 2011 – Germany – Istanbul era una favola Baldini Castoldi Dalai editore 2007 – Italy La nostra più bella storia d'amore Baldini Castoldi Dalai editore 2008 – Italy
