İskender Pala

Researcher of literature (b. 6 August 1958, Uşak). He attended Uşak Cumhuriyet Primary School (1969) and graduated from Kütahya High School (1975) and İstanbul University, Faculty of Literature, Department of Turkish Language and Literature (1979) with the thesis “Câmiu’n Nezâr Transkripsiyonlu Metin” (Nazire*s of Poets, Transcription Text). He completed his master’s at İstanbul University, Institute of Social Sciences and in the United States (1979). He received his doctorate in the field of Ancient Turkish Literature with the thesis “Aşkî / Hayatı, Edebi Şahsiyeti ve Divanı” (Aşkî / His Life, Literary Individuality and His Collected Poems). In 1993 he was promoted to assistant professor. He worked as a civil servant at the Seminar Library at İstanbul University, Faculty of Literature (1979-82), as a lieutenant at the Naval Command Naval High School Headquarters (1982-1984) as chief lieutenant (184-86) and as an academician at Boğaziçi University, Department of Turkish Language and Literature (1986-87). He worked in the rank of captain during the establishment of the Naval Command Naval History Archives and consequently worked on many projects (1987-94) and carried out archival research for Naval publications (1996-97) and then he retired from the Navy. He has been an academician at İstanbul Kültür University since 1997.

His articles about science and literature have been published in different encyclopedias and reviews. He has written textbook for secondary and high schools. He has studied the History of Ottoman Naval Forces and written books on the subject. He attracted attention with his work related to Divan* Poetry, which he wrote in order that Divan* Poetry might be better understood by the general public. He wrote essays, stories and anecdotes with inspiration from Divan* Poetry. He collected the Writers Union of Turkey Language Award in 1989, the Atatürk Culture, Language and History Higher Association – Turkish Language Association Award in 1990 with his work Ansiklopedik Divan Şiiri Sözlüğü (Encyclopedic Ottoman Divan* Poetry Dictionary), the Writers Union of Turkey Study Award in 1996 with Şairlerin Dilinden (From the Tongues of Poets) and the Writers Union of Turkey Novel Award in 2003 with Babil’de Ölüm, İstanbul’da Aşk (Death in Babel, Love in İstanbul).

WORKS:

STUDY-RESEARCH: Aşkî ve Divanından Örnekler (Examples From the Divan* of Aşkî, 1988), Hayriye, Şair Nâbî (Hayriye, Poet Nabî, 1989), Namık Kemal'in Tarihî Biyografileri (Historical Biographies of Namık Kemal, 1989), Hilye-i Saâdet, Hakânî (The Ornament of Happiness, Hakani, 1991), 99 Soruda Türkçe Kültürü (Turkish Culture in 99 Question, 1994), Türk Düğmeciliği ve Bahriye Düğmeleri (Turkish Buttoning and Buttons of the Navy, 1995), Divan Edebiyatı (Divan* Poetry, 1992), Şi'r-i Kadim - Divan Edebiyatı Şiir Şerhleri (Ancient Poems-Explanation of Divan* Poetry, 1997), Şiirler, Şairler ve Meclisler (Poems, Poets and Meetings, 1997), Divan Edebiyatında Aşina Güzeller (Familiar Classics in Divan* Poetry, 1998), Kudemanın Kırk Atlısı - Edebi Biyografiler (Forty Horseman of Kudeman – Literary Biographies, 1998), Bâkî (Enduring, 1998), Leyla ile Mecnun (Leyla and Mecnun, 1998), Necatî (Necati, 1998), Yunus Emre (Yunus Emre, 1999), Âh Mine'l Aşk (Ah, the Beginning of Love, 1999), Kırklar Meclisi - Edebi Biyografiler (Forties Grand Assemblies, Literary Biographies,  2000), Âyine (Mirror, 2000), İki Dirhem Bir Çekirdek (Two Drachma, One Seed, 2000), Efsaneler Güzeller (Legends, Classics, 2002).

ESSAY: Tavan Arası (Attic, 2002), Görgü (Etiquette, 2002).

DICTIONARY - ANTHOLOGY-COLLECTION: Güldeste, Edebiyat Şaka ve Nükteleri (Anthology, Jokes and Witticisms of Literature, 1993), Ansiklopedik Divan Şiiri Sözlüğü (Encyclopedic Divan* Poetry Dictionary, 1989), Divan Edebiyatında Müstesna Güzeller (Extraordinary Classics in Divan* Poetry, 1995), Kronolojik Divan Şiiri Antolojisi - Divanü'd Devâvin (Chronological Anthology of Divan* Poetry – Divan* of Old Poets, 1995), Şairlerin Dilinden (Languages of Poets, 1996), Kahve Molası (Coffee Break,  2002), Hilye-i Saadet (Book of Happiness, lyric poems about the Prophet Muhammad, 2003), Perişan Gazeller (Wretched Poems, 2003), Perî Şân Güzeller (Nice Poems, 2003).

NOVEL: Babil’de Ölüm, İstanbul’da Aşk (Death in Babel, Love in İstanbul, 2003).

In addition to these, he has simplified various works.

REFERENCE:  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) –- Encyclopedia of Turkey’s Famous People (2013), Seyyid N. Erkal / İskender Pala: Bizim Olanı Bilmeden Biz Olamayız.. (söyleşi, Merdiven Sanat, Eylül 1998), TBE Ansiklopedisi (c.2, 2001), Aslı Örnek / Tavan Arası (Radikal Kitap, 22.10.2002), Oylum Yılmaz / Efsaneler Güzeller (Radikal Kitap, 10.11.2002), İskender Pala: ‘Divan Edebiyatı Bana Dost Para ve İtibar Kazandırıyor.’ (Hürriyet Pazar, 10.3.2003), Divan Şiiri Geleneğinden Çağdaş Şiire (Cumhuriyet Kitap, 10.2.2005), Seyhan Oktay / Söyleşi (Kitap Haber, Haziran Temmuz 2005).