Peride Celal


Peride Celal Yönsel, commonly known as Peride Celal or Peride Celâl, was a Turkish novelist and story writer. Her work has won major awards such as the Sedat Simavi Literature Award in 1977, and the Orhan Kemal Novel Prize in 1991.

Early life

Born in İstanbul, she completed her high school education in Samsun and at the French curriculum Lycée Sainte-Pulchérie in Istanbul. She spent most of her childhood in Anatolia.

Career

After returning to İstanbul, Celal worked at Elektrik Şirketi and Neşriyat Bürosu. In 1944, she went to Switzerland to work as an assistant at the Press Office of the Turkish Embassy in Bern. Upon her return to Turkey, she served at the governmental press and publishing agency and the newspaper "Yeni İstanbul".
Celal acquired her love of literature from her cultured mother, and started writing at a young age. Her first story, Ak Kiz, was published in the weekly Yedigün in 1935, which was followed by her stories, reportages and novels in the newspapers Son Posta, Cumhuriyet, Tan and Milliyet. Her literary career can be divided into two parts: During the first half, she wrote mostly romantic novels. During the second half, she focused on the twisted and corrupt lives of the Turkish bourgeoisie.

Death

Celal died on June 15, 2013, but it was announced two days later by her family. She is survived by her daughter Zeynep Ergun, who was the chair of the English Language and Literature Department at İstanbul University.

Recognition

In 1977 Celal was honored for her novel Üç Yirmi Dört Saat with the Turkish Sedat Simavi Literature Award along with Fazıl Hüsnü Dağlarca. The 1991 Orhan Kemal Novel Prize was bestowed on Peride Celal for her novel Kurtlar.
In 1996, Selim İleri published a book titled Present to Peride Celal edited by 19 Turkish authors.

Works

Novels