Azerbaijani Literature Development and project management: Ph.D of Philology, associate prof. Shamil Sadig Consulting: Vagif Bahmanli Publishing: Mushfig KHAN Translation: Konul Nasibova Editor of Azerbaijani version: Nargiz Jabbarli Editor of English version: Jahid Huseynov Coordination: Rovshan Yerfi, Jalala Aliyeva Design and graphics: Teymur Farzi Art: Vasif Saftarov These publications were printed by “KHAN” publishing house in the framework of “Introducing Our Writers to the World” project of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the occasion of "European Games 2015". The reference is necessary in case of extraction and replacement in e-resources. The translated literary pieces of writers were extracted from “Modern Azerbaijani Prose” and “Azerbaijani Prose Anthology” publications. ISBN: 9 7 8 - 9 9 5 2 - 4 0 5 - 9 6 - 5 © The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan / 2015 © “KHAN” PUBLISHING HOUSE / 2015 Ilyas Afandiyev lyas Afandiyev, the prominent writer Iand playwright was born on May 26, 1914 in Garyagin city (present Fuzuli). Upon finishing school at the age of 16, he started his career as a teacher of native language. Later on, although he intended to continue his education in the geography department of Baku Supreme Pedagogical Institute, having been stigmatized as “son of kulak”, he couldn’t realize it. He studied by correspondence and graduated in 1938 and wrote his first short stories in these years. 3 Ilyas Afandiyev worked in different positions in the newspapers of “New Way”, “Communist”, “Literature newspaper”, in the Radio Committee, “Baku” film studio and “Azerneshr”. Ilyas Afandiyev at his writing table From the VII Congress of Azerbaijani writers 4 Ilyas Afandiyev's childhood photo 5 His first short story “A Night in Berlin” was published in “Literature newspaper” in 1939. His novels “Willow Channel”, “Bridge Builders”, “Three Friends beyond the Mountains”, “Tale of Sarikoynek and Valeh”, “Don’t Look Back, Old Man”, “Three-Charge Rifle”, “Khan Plane”, a number of stories and short stories were published in Azerbaijani and Russian in Baku and Moscow several times. His works were translated into the languages of post USSR nations, as well as into English, French, German, Turkish, Arabic, Czech, Slovakian, Bulgarian, Hungarian and his books were published in different countries. Ilyas Afandiyev in his youth 6 Ilyas Afandiyev with Azerbaijani writers and poets - Ali Valiyev, Rasul Rza and others. The literary analysis of most important political and moral values, events, victories and tragedies are heartily embodied in each genre that Ilyas Afandiyev used. Ilyas Afandiyev with his pen friends 7 From the exhibition dedicated to Ilyas Afandiyev's 100th anniversary 8 Ilyas Afandiyev with his sons Elchin and Timuchin. 1950, Shusha Ilyas Afandiyev, Elchin and Timuchin. 1954 9 He wrote the play “Expectation” together with Mehdi Huseyn on the eve of World War. Later on, he wrote the plays “Bright Ways”, “Spring Flood”, “Family of Atayevs”, “You are Always with Me”, “I can’t Forget’”, “Erased Diaries”, “My Guilt”, “The Song was Left in the Mountains”, “Strange Guy”, “Voice Coming from the Gardens”, “Khurshidbanu Natavan”, “In the Crystal Palace”, “Sheikh Muhammad Khiyabani”, “Our Strange Destiny”, “Sweethearts Coupling in the Hell”, “Single Oleaster Tree”, “Mad and Sensible Men”, “The King and his Daughter”, each of which was performed in the stages of State Academic Drama Theatre, as well as in other theatres of the republic and abroad. Only in Academic Drama Theatre 19 plays of Ilyas Afandiyev were performed. I.Afandiyev with a number of culture and art figures 10 Last years of Ilyas Afandiyev 11 Elchin Afandiyev participated in the UNESCO's event on the occasion of 100th anniversary of Ilyas Afandiyev, the prominent Azerbaijani writer and playwright. 12 During the independence years Ilyas Afandiyev wrote productively, the writer’s new works were published and new plays were staged every year. He fearlessly brought a number of themes to the literature which he couldn’t tell and write during the years of Soviet regime and party prohibitions, presented them to the readers in the new time background. He succeeded in publishing of the short story "What’s Happened to Haji Akhund’s Paradise Garden?" and the story "The Tale of Princess Gulsanubar and Tar Player Sadigjan" and stage performing of a number of new plays. The event dedicated to 50th anniversary of Ilyas Afandiyev in Azerbaijan State University (present Baku State University) 13 14 Ilyas Afandiyev, Mehdi Huseyn, Bakhtiyar Vahabzadeh 15 Ilyas Afandiyev with Hasan Seyyidbayli, Anvar Mammadkhanli, Imran Gasimov and Mehdi Huseyn, the well-known men of letters of Azerbaijan. Ilyas Afandiyev in the Presidium of event dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Abdulla Shaig, the Azerbaijani poet 16 Ilyas Afandiyev among his pen friends Ilyas Afandiyev and Imran Gasimov, the playwright. Ilyas Afandiyev may be considered the second great playwright after J.Jabbarly in Azerbaijani drama. He is also founder of new trend: the play “You are Always with Me” laid the foundation of lyrical-psychological drama in Azerbaijan literature. “Sheikh Khiyabani” is the first play of Azerbaijani literature dedicated to the national unity of Azerbaijani people. 17 Photos from the event dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Ilyas Afandiyev, People's Writer 18 Azerbaijani poet and writers: J.Novruz, I.Afandiyev, S.Rahimov, Kh.Hasilova and H.Abbaszadeh Ilyas Afandiyev with his friends 19 Ilyas Afandiyev went down in history as an author who first time made the woman character the hero of historical drama in the example of Natavan character in “Khurshudbanu Natavan”. The grave of Ilyas Afandiyev in the Honorary Cemetery The literary works by Ilyas Afandiyev 20 Abulfaz Garayev, the minister of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan Republic makes speech in the 100th anniversary of Ilyas Afandiyev. From the exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Ilyas Afandiyev. 21 The diversified creativity of powerful man of letters is quite valuable as a literary chronicle of 20th century Azerbaijani truth, literature and culture. During his 60-years literary activity, besides dozens of plays, he wrote seven novels, five stories and forty seven short stories. He had a specific path of creativity, wrote a great deal of sketches, memories, publicistic and literary-critical articles alongside with his immortal samples of literature. Ilyas Afandiyev was awarded the State Premium of Azerbaijan and People’s Writer of Azerbaijan for his merits in Azerbaijani literature. Three documentaries about him and dozens of feature and television films were shot on the motives of his works. Heydar Aliyev, the ex-president of Azerbaijan Republic presents the Order of Glory, the award of People's Writer Ilyas Afandiyev to his son Elchin Afandiyev 22 Ilyas Afandiyev, the People’s Writer who had a specific role in the formation of consciousness and self-perception, died on October 3, 1996 in Baku and was buried in Honorary Cemetery (Alley of Honor). UNESCO celebrated the 100th anniversary of Ilyas Afandiyev, the prominent Azerbaijani writer and playwright. A fragment from "Garabaghname" performance staged in Azerbaijan State National Drama Theatre on the motives of "The ruler and daughter" by Ilyas Afandiyev. 23 Appreciative statements about Ilyas Afandiyev: “Ilyas Afandiyev’s literary works are notable for their smooth, perfect literary style, as well as in-depth content and high mastery; exerts a great aesthetic impact on the reader. Hard work of bridge builders, heroic labor of oil workers, modern rural life and moral-psychological processes among Azerbaijan intellectuals are persuasively and deeply embodied in his books.” Heydar Aliyev Nationwide Leader Heydar Aliyev, the ex-president of Azerbaijan Republic congratulates Ilyas Afandiyev on the occasion of People's Writer award. 24 “Ilyas Afandiyev narrates working people’s labor unity with great affection and ardor, depicts their labor with bright and lively colors... We love «Spring Flood» for its poetry and once again believe that our life doesn’t stand only upon financial interests, but at the same time new, rich and perfect morality is begotten.” Samad Vurgun People’s Poet Ilyas Afandiyev and Ismail Shikhli, the writer Ilyas Afandiyev with his pen friends 25 “Among Suleyman Rustam, Samad Vurgun and Rasul Rza, who laid the foundation of “Azerbaijan” poem there was a unity in terms of striking deep roots, single body, but a divergence in terms of branching out from different directions towards the single sky. They are neither alike, nor different. The same is possible to note about the prose of Mirza Ibrahimov and Mehdi Huseyn, drama of venerable J.Jabbarly and Ilyas Afandiyev”. Nazim Hikmat Turkish Poet, the Laureate of International Premium of Peace 26 The Roofer and the Red Flower The sun was rising as old Kara and his apprentice climbed up onto the roof of a house in the upper part of the town. Both were tall and well-built, in rough oil- stained shirts. The old man had a worn brown cap pulled down over his eyes, but the young man's head was bare to sun and wind, his black hair parted on the side. In his right hand the old man held an ancient pipe, seasoned to a coal-blackness. They walked along the roof from end to end. The young man asked, "Shall we make a start?" The old man nodded. The young man climbed down the ladder and the old man took out his tobacco pouch and began unhurriedly filling his pipe, examining the place of their work through eyes narrowed against the sun. The old kir with which the roof was covered had softened and spread. Here and there were wrinkles and cracks. Then the old man saw it — in one place where the kir had blistered and broken a flower had pushed through the crack. It was bright red, it blazed like a ruby under the rising sun.