In Jail With Nâzım Hikmet

'Moving and remarkable' Andrew Finkel

Bursa prison, mid-winter 1940. Two prisoners meet, both writers, both serving long sentences for allegedly inciting Turkish soldiers to mutiny. One is Turkey's most famous poet and communist, Nazim Hikmet; the other a young, aspiring poet, Orhan Kemal, who now shares a cell with the man whose work he has long admired.

In this prison memoir, Orhan Kemal reminisces on the time he shared with the remarkable poet and describes how Nazim inspired him to become one of Turkey's most popular and successful novelist. A fascinating account of one of the great friendships in Turkish letters, this volume includes Orhan Kemal's diary entries and Nazim's letters to him after Orhan's release from prison in 1943.

Orhan Kemal's titles are amongst those rare treasures one encounters in life. Only a few other authors can impress and shape the reader like he does. Orhan Kemal shows us the way to am hope and be optimistic again.