About
Chingiz Aitmatov was a major Kyrgyz writer of the 20th century. Born in 1928 in Kyrgyzstan, he first studied agriculture before turning to literature in Moscow. His first major success, Jamila (1958), was praised by Louis Aragon. He wrote in Kyrgyz and then Russian, blending folklore and realism. His works, such as The First Teacher or The Day Lasts More Than a Hundred Years, explore the human condition and identity. He received numerous Soviet and international awards. After independence, he became a diplomat for Kyrgyzstan. He died in 2008 in Germany.
* 1928-12-12 — † 2008-06-10
Major works
- Jamila (1958)novella
- Le Premier Maître (1962)novella
- Adieu, Goulsary ! (1966)novel
- Le Bateau blanc (1970)novel
- Le Jour dure plus de cent ans (1980)novel
Key milestones
- 1937His father, Torekul Aitmatov, was arrested and executed during Stalin's purges.
- 1963Received the Lenin Prize for his collection Tales of the Mountains and Steppes.
- 1990Became an adviser to Mikhail Gorbachev and Soviet ambassador to Luxembourg and Belgium.
Themes
cultural identityKyrgyz folklorehuman conditionmodernity and traditionmemory and history
Sources: britannica.com · aa.com.tr