Hasan Ali Toptaş
{{Short description|Turkish writer}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Hasan Ali Toptaş
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|10|15|df=yes}}
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Novelist, short story writer
| genre = Modernism, postmodernism
| period = 1987–present
| website =
}}
Hasan Ali Toptaş (born 15 October 1958) is a prominent Turkish novelist and short story writer. His first short story book Bir Gülüşün Kimliği (The Identity of A Laugh) was published in 1987.{{Cite book|last=Ali Toptas|first=Hasan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MJ-dGwAACAAJ|title=Bir gülüşün kimliği öyküler|publisher=İz Yayınları|year=1987|location=Turkey|language=tr|trans-title=The Identity of A Laugh}} An important Turkish scholar, Yıldız Ecevit nicknames him "a postmodern modernist" and calls him "a Kafka in Turkish literature", in her work Türk Romanında Postmodernist Açılımlar (The Postmodernist Expansion in Turkish Literature).{{Cite book|last=Ecevit|first=Yıldız|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qAOcDwAAQBAJ|title=Türk Romanında Postmodernist Açılımlar|publisher=İletişim Yayınları|year=2001|isbn=9789750519635|location=Turkey|language=tr|trans-title=The Postmodernist Expansion in Turkish Literature}}
Allegations of sexual misconduct
On 8 December 2020, Toptaş was accused of sexual misconduct by a number of users on Twitter. On TRT 2's program Karalama Defteri, which was presented by Doğan Hızlan, Toptaş's opinion of translators were shared and criticized by some scholars. In episode 37 of the program which was broadcast in November 2019, Toptaş faced criticism after making a connection between the age of translators and their choice of words.{{cite web |title=YAYINDAN ALINDI-Doğan Hızlan ile Karalama Defteri: Hasan Ali Toptaş 37. Bölüm |url=https://www.trt2.com.tr/edebiyat/karalama-defteri-dogan-hizlan/yayindan-alindi-dogan-hizlan-ile-karalama-defteri-or-hasan-ali-toptas-or-37-bolum-128524 |publisher=TRT 2 |access-date=9 December 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} A part of this episode was later shared on Twitter in 2020, to which a woman replied, "How many people are eagerly waiting for this man to be exposed? I and many of my friends have unpleasant memories of him from our university years. If I had the current consciousness and courage I would definitely speak up. The classic middle-aged man of letters. Really a disappointment." After this comment nearly 20 women shared their experiences of harassment by Toptaş.{{cite web |last1=Çelik |first1=Ece |title='Edeb'i taciz ifşa oldu |url=https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/edebi-taciz-ifsa-oldu-41683641 |publisher=Hürriyet |access-date=9 December 2020 |date=9 December 2020}}
Writer Pelin Buzluk was among those who stated that they experienced harassment at the hands of Toptaş and described the incident as 'sexual assault'. Inspired by the Me Too movement, many women later expressed solidarity with the victims. Toptaş accepted the accusations and wrote, "Until a person understands what [the definition of] a male offender is, he can make mistakes without knowing, realizing or thinking about what great wounds he could inflict on the other side. Today we learn from women what being a doer is. I sincerely apologize to all the people I hurt, upset and harmed with my unwitting behavior."{{cite tweet|user=hasanali_toptas |number=1336552328921538560|title=Kamuoyuna duyuru|date=9 December 2020}}{{cite web |title=Hasan Ali Toptaş, kadınları taciz ettiğini kabul etti |url=https://www.haberturk.com/hasan-ali-toptas-kadinlari-taciz-ettigini-kabul-etti-2897315 |publisher=Habertürk |access-date=9 December 2020}} After the events, the website 5harfliler.com and many users made a call to Everest Publications, the publishers of Toptaş's works, to end their collaboration with him.{{cite tweet|user=5Harfliler|number=1336591568560660481|title=Şimdi @EverestKitap ve iletisimyayin'larına soralım, yazarınız Hasan Ali Toptaş ve Bora Abdo'yla sözleşmeyi iptal edecek misiniz, tacizleri ifşa edilen bu yazarların kitaplarını basmaya devam mı? Kadın düşmanı Ali Lidar’la ilişiğinizi kesecek misiniz? @otdergi @ithakiyayinlari|date=9 December 2020}} Saadet Özen, the editor-in-chief of Everest, responded to the call on Twitter and said, "the statement of a woman is essential for the victim's voice to be heard, the harassment and pressure to be revealed, to be discussed and questioned". She added that they would act accordingly and terminate their works with Toptaş.{{cite tweet|user=zen_saadet|number=1336561164239704064|title=Günaydın. Bana göre kadınların beyanı, mağdurun sesinin duyulması, tacizin, baskının açığa çıkması, konuşulması, sorgulanması için esastır. Her kim söz konusu olursa olsun bu kural değişmez.|date=9 December 2020}}{{cite web |title=Everest Yayınları: Kadının beyanı esastır |url=https://bianet.org/kadin/erkek-siddeti/235756-everest-yayinlari-kadinin-beyani-esastir |publisher=Bianet |access-date=10 December 2020}} The publication house further stated "We are against all kinds of harassment and will continue to be."{{cite web |title=Everest Yayınları, "tacizin karşısındayız" diyerek Hasan Ali Toptaş'la yollarını ayırdı |url=https://t24.com.tr/haber/everest-yayinlari-tacizin-karsisindayiz-diyerek-hasan-ali-toptas-la-yollarini-ayirdi,919849 |publisher=T24 |access-date=10 December 2020}} The Turkish Writers' Union also called on literati to take a collective attitude against all kinds of harassment using social and literary status.{{cite web |title=Türkiye Yazarlar Sendikası tacize karşı örgütlü mücadele çağrısı yaptı |url=https://www.evrensel.net/haber/420795/turkiye-yazarlar-sendikasi-tacize-karsi-orgutlu-mucadele-cagrisi-yapti |publisher=Evrensel |access-date=10 December 2020}} His Mersin City Literature Award was revoked after the harassment cases came forward, with the city council deeming it necessary "due to our humanitarian, moral, conscientious, and literary responsibility."{{cite web |title=Mersin, Hasan Ali Toptaş'a verdiği ödülü geri alıyor |url=https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/mersin-hasan-ali-toptasa-verdigi-odulu-geri-aliyor-1797596 |publisher=Cumhuriyet |access-date=10 December 2020}} Director Ali Aydın and producer Müge Büyüktalaş announced that the project for adapting Toptaş's novel Kuşlar Yasına Gider into a movie had been cancelled. The project had been in development since 2019.{{cite tweet|user=MugeBuyuktalas|number=1337023315915976706|title=Geçtiğimiz yıldan beri...|date=10 December 2020}}
Works
- Bir Gülüşün Kimliği [The Identity of A Laugh] - 1987
- Yalnızlıklar [Solitudes] - 1990{{Cite book|last=Ali Toptas|first=Hasan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zDMIAQAAMAAJ|title=Yalnızlıklar|publisher=Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları|year=2003|isbn=9789754584509|location=Turkey|language=tr|trans-title=Solitudes|orig-year=1990}}
- Ölü Zaman Gezginleri [The Dead Time Travelers] - 1993{{Cite book|last=Ali Toptas|first=Hasan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f3BPAQAAIAAJ|title=Ölü zaman gezginler|publisher=İletişim|year=1993|isbn=9789750507151|location=Turkey|language=tr|trans-title=The Dead Time Travellers}}
- Sonsuzluğa Nokta [Full Stop to Infinity] - 1993{{Cite book|last=Ali Toptas|first=Hasan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5jFuvgEACAAJ|title=Sonsuzluǧa nokta|publisher=Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları|year=1993|isbn=9789754583854|location=Turkey|language=tr|trans-title=Full Stop to Infinity}}
- Gölgesizler [Shadowless] - 1995{{Cite book|last=Ali Toptas|first=Hasan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aIlvPgAACAAJ|title=Gölgesizler|publisher=İletişim Yayınları|year=2008|isbn=9789750506178|location=Turkey|language=tr|trans-title=Shadowless}}{{Cite book|last1=Ali Toptas|first1=Hasan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vlg_DQAAQBAJ|title=Shadowless|last2=Freely|first2=Maureen|last3=Angliss|first3=John|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|year=2017|isbn=9781408850848}}
- Kayıp Hayaller Kitabı [The Book of Lost Dreams] - 1996{{Cite book|last=Ali Toptas|first=Hasan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=shmLvgEACAAJ|title=Kayıp hayaller kitabı|publisher=Can Yayınları Limited Şti.|year=1996|location=Turkey|language=tr|trans-title=The Book of Lost Dreams}}
- Ben Bir Gürgen Dalıyım [I am a Hornbeam Branch] - 1997{{Cite book|last=Ali Toptas|first=Hasan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TopPAQAAIAAJ|title=Ben bir gürgen dalıyım|publisher=İletișim|year=1997|isbn=9789750506390|location=Turkey|language=tr|trans-title=I Am A Hornbeam Branch}}
- Bin Hüzünlü Haz [A-Thousand-Gloomy Pleasure] - 1999{{Cite book|last=Ali Toptas|first=Hasan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZQ1aMwEACAAJ|title=Bin hüzünlü haz|publisher=İletişim|year=2009|isbn=9789750506901|location=Turkey|language=tr|trans-title=A-Thousand-Gloomy Pleasures}}
- Uykuların Doğusu [The East of Slumbers] - 2005{{Cite book|last=Ali Toptas|first=Hasan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q-QZAQAAIAAJ|title=Uykuların doğusu|publisher=Doğan Kitap|year=2005|isbn=9789752933637|location=Turkey|language=tr|trans-title=The East of Slumbers}}
- Harfler ve Notalar [Letters and Notes] - 2007{{Cite book|last=Ali Toptas|first=Hasan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JSNMAQAAIAAJ|title=Harfler ve notalar|publisher=İletişim|year=2007|isbn=9789750506185|location=Turkey|language=tr|trans-title=Letters and Notes}}
- Heba [Reckless] - 2013{{Cite book|last=Ali Toptas|first=Hasan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PjaHngEACAAJ|title=Heba|publisher=İletişim Yayınları|year=2013|isbn=9789750511585|location=Turkey|language=tr|trans-title=Reckless}}{{Cite book|last1=Ali Toptas|first1=Hasan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=axLGCQAAQBAJ|title=Reckless|last2=Freely|first2=Maureen|last3=Agliss|first3=John|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|year=2015|isbn=9781632860620}}
- Kuşlar Yasına Gider [Birds Go to His Mourning] - 2016
- Beni Kör Kuyularda - 2019
- Heba - Midi Boy - 2019{{Cite book|last=Ali Toptas|first=Hasan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ME2KtAEACAAJ|title=Heba Midi Boy|publisher=Everest Yayinlari|year=2019|isbn=9786051851242|location=Turkey|language=tr}}
- Gecenin Gecesi - Ciltli - 2020{{Cite book|last=Ali Toptas|first=Hasan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nb_ZzQEACAAJ|title=Gecenin Gecesi - Ciltli|publisher=Everest Yayinlari|year=2020|isbn=9786051855011|location=Turkey|language=tr}}
Works in English
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070405040235/http://www.hasanalitoptas.net/ The Official Site of H. A. Toptaş]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Toptas, Hasan Ali}}