Writer (b. 21 November 1996, İstanbul –
d. 12 March 1993). She attended Süleymaniye Numune School for Girls (1921). She
was educated on private lessons. She undertook some temporary duties on various
commissions of İstanbul Municipality and the Ministry of Culture. She was a
founder and an active member of Kubbealtı Culture and Art Foundation and the
Turkish Women Cultural Association.
She wrote many novels and book, where
she combined her memories about mansion life during her childhood and her
observations on the historical environment with the culture of history, which
Ottoman era and Balkan Turks dominated on.
Her articles and poems were published
in many newspapers and reviews, such as Büyük Doğu (1946), Resimli
İstanbul Haftası, Fatih ve İstanbul, Türk Yurdu, Havadis, Ölçü, Hür Adam,
Selamet, Anıt, Türk Kadını, Tercüman; she became a permament writer of Kubbealtı Akademi Mecmuası
and Türk Edebiyat after 1972, and also wrote in the newspapers Türk
Dünyası and Tarih Dergisi.
Ayverdi, who affiliated to Kenan Rifai order, was especially famous for her
novels titled Mesihpaşa İmamı
(The Imam of Mesihpaşa) and Yolcu Nereye Gidiyorsun (Where are You
Going, Traveller). She was given an Honorary Award for
Contributions to Turkish National Culture by the National Culture Foundation of
Turkey in 1984. She collected the Writers Union of Turkey Language Award with
her book titled Hey Gidi Günler Hey (The Good Old Days). All of her books were re-published
by Kubbealtı Publications.
WORKS:
NOVEL: Aşk Bu İmiş (Love Was
That, 1938), Batmayan Gün (Sun Never Setting Down, 1939), Mabette Bir
Gece (A Night at the Temple, 1940), Ateş Ağacı (The Tree of Fire,
1941), Yaşayan Ölü (Living Death, 1942), İnsan ve Şeytan (Man and
Evil, 1942), Son Menzil (The Last Destination, 1943), Yolcu Nereye
Gidiyorsun (Where are You Going, Traveller, 1944), Mesihpaşa İmamı (The
Imam of Mesihpaşa, 1948), İbrahim Efendi Konağı (The Mansion of Ibrahim
Efendi, 1964), Bağbozumu (Grape Harvest, 1987), Küplüce’deki Köşk (The
Mansion in Küplüce, 1989).
ESSAY - RESEARCH: Yusufçuk
(Yusufçuk, the selections from essays and conferences, 1946), Edebî ve
Manevi Dünyası İçinde Fatih (Fatih in his Literary and Spiritual World,
1958), Boğaziçi’nde Tarih (The History in Bosphorus, 1966), Boğaziçi'nde Tarih (History in the Bosphorus,
1968), Misyonerlik Karşısında Türkiye (Turkey Against Missionarism, 1969), Millî
Kültür Meseleleri ve Maarif Dâvâmız (The Issues of Our National Culture and
Our Course of Education, 1970), Türk-Rus Münasebetleri ve Muharebeleri
(Turkish-Russian Affairs and Wars, 1970), Türk Tarihinde Osmanlı Asırları (The
Ottoman Centuries in Turkish History, 3 volumes, 1975-76), Abide Şahsiyetler
(Monumental Personalities, 1976), Kölelikten Efendiliğe (From Slavery to
Lordship, 1978), Dost (Friend, 1979), Kenan Rıfâî ve Yirminci Asrın
Işığında Müslümanlık (Kenan Rıfai and Islam under the Light of Twentieth
Century, third edition 1983), Yeryüzünde Birkaç Adım (A Few Steps on
Earth, 1984), Mektuplardan Gelen Ses (A Voice Coming from Letters,
1985), Rahmet Kapısı (The Door of Compassion, 1985), Ne İdik Ne Olduk
(What Were We, What Have We Become, 1985), Dile Gelen Taş (The Speaking
Stone, 1999), Ratibe (Ratibe, edited by Aysel Yüksel, 2002), İki
Âşina (Two Well-Knowns, 2003).
MEMOIR: İstanbul Geceleri
(Nights of İstanbul, 1952), Bir Dünyadan Bir Dünyaya (From One World to
Another, 1974), Hatıralarla Başbaşa (Alone with Memories, 1977), Hey
Gidi Günler Hey (The Good Old Days, 1988).
POETRY: Hancı (Inkeeper, 2003).
REFERENCE: TDE Ansiklopedisi (1977), İhsan Işık / Yazarlar Sözlüğü (1990, 1998) - 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) - Ünlü Edebiyatçılar (Türkiye Ünlüleri Ansiklopedisi, C. 4, 2013) - Encyclopedia of Turkey’s Famous People (2013), Ahmet Oktay / Cumhuriyet Dönemi Edebiyatı 1923-1950 (1993), Mehmet Nuri Yardım / Medeniyetimizin Şahidi: Samiha Ayverdi: Batı Gençlerimizi Yaralıyor, s. 23-27), İsmet Binark / Samiha Ayverdi’nin Mektupları (2002), Servet Kabaklı vd. (Türk Edebiyatı, Özel Bölüm, Mayıs 2005), 1905-1993 Sâmiha Ayverdi – Doğumunun 100. Yılı (broşür, hayatının çeşitli döneminden fotoğraflarla, 2005).