Writer of children's literature and translator (b.
1931, İzmir - d. 16 April 2020, Istanbul). He completed his master studies on pedagogy at New York
University, on the scholarship of the Ministry of National Education. He was
sent again to the USA by the Coca-Cola Export Corporation in 1963, where he
specialized on marketing and management. He opened the Coca-Cola factories in
İstanbul, İzmir, Bursa, Adana and Ankara. He worked as the vice-director of
marketing in the Turyağ Company, and as the director general and the member of
the executive board at the Çukurova Industries and Trade Corp. (Schweppes). On
the other hand, he engaged in psychoanalysis, erotology, semantics, the therapy
of Geschtalt, and eastern doctrines (Zen, Yoga, Taoism) after 1956. He directed
the Söz Publication and Play Agency, which he founded, after 1983. In 1992, he
became the coach of the Turkish brain team. He established the Turkish Club of
Intelligence Games in 1995, and started activities of the World Puzzle
Federation, being its representative to Turkey. His team ranked once third, two
times fifth, once sixth and once eighth at the competitions between 1992 and
1996.
He published many publications as a professional
translator. He translated Orhan Kemal’s 72. Koğuş (The 72nd Ward) into
English, and James Joyce’s Ulysses into Turkish. He recited Ulysses
in Turkish in 1998 in Dublin, during the Bloomsday activities of the James
Joyce Centre. He received the De Publications Translation of Fairy Tales Award
in 1984. He was appreciated by the president of Ireland in 1996 with a letter,
for his translation of Ulysses, and was invited to Dublin by the James
Joyce Centre. In 1996, he received the award of the translator of the year by
the Turkish Association of Publishers, and in 1996 the translation award of
“Those on Apex” by the review Nokta.
He is a member of the PEN Association of Writers, the
Writers Syndicate of Turkey, the Turkish Club of Intelligence Games (founding
president), the Turkish Brain Team (coach), the İzmir Alsancak Rotary Club
(founder and the first vice-president), and the International James Joyce
Foundation.
WORKS:
Arsadaki Çadır (The
Tent in the Vacant Lot, children's novel), Mantık ve Matematik Oyunları 1, 2
(Games of Logic and Mathematics I, II, 2000), Apartman Aşkları
(Loves in the Buildings, 2002).
Besides, he translated many works of the writers such
as Louis Proto, Carlos Castaneda and James Joyce.
REFERENCE: Ulysses Günlüğü / Cumhuriyet (20.8.1992), Itırlı Bahçe (Tan, 29.8.1992), Bloomgünü (Cumhuriyet, 16.6.1993), Orhan Pamuk / Times Literary Supplement (29.11.1996), Vivet Kanetti / Yeni Yüzyıl (4.1.1997), İhsan Işık / Türkiye Yazarlar Ansiklopedisi (2001, 2004) – Encyclopedia of Turkish Authors (2005) - Resimli ve Metin Örnekli Türkiye Edebiyatçılar ve Kültür Adamları Ansiklopedisi (2006, gen. 2. bas. 2007), Feridun Andaç / Söyleşi (Varlık, Haziran 2002), Nevzat Erkmen korona virüsü nedeniyle vefat etti (gazeteduvar.com.tr, 16.04.2020), Usta çevirmen Nevzat Erkmen corona virüsüne yenik düştü (sozcu.com.tr, 16.04.2020), Çevirmen Nevzat Erkmen Covid-19 nedeniyle yaşamını yitirdi (birgun.net, 16.04.2020), Nevzat Erkmen koronavirüse yenildi (cumhuriyet.com.tr, 16.04.2020).
