Hamdi Topçuoğlu’s Book Launch

[:en]Hamdi Topçuoğlu From Caria to Ionia – The Country of Sunny Rains
14 May 2012
Mr. Hamdi Topçuoğlu, who is the president of Bodrum City Council, an educator, author and poet as well as being an amiable and intellectual member of H3A, launched his new book at the Bodrum Chamber of Commerce.   The speakers, Selçuk Şahin, Ludmila Denisenko, Kadir Vargı, Semih Adıyaman and Güler Bener discussed the different aspects of the book which impressed them and emphasised Hamdi Topçuoğlu’s versatile personality.

In his opening address, Selçuk Şahin said that reading the book “From Caria to Ionia” would help us to know more about the region we live in and to enjoy it more.  Selçuk Bey added that, after having known Hamdi Bey, he saw Bodrum from a different perspective and appreciated the value of archaeological places like Stratonikeia and Lagina and went to visit these places many more times thereafter.

The second speaker, Ludmila Denisenko, explained with examples how Hamdi Bey differed from the other people she knew and how genuine he was, easily making friends with the folk despite his highly intellectual status. Ludmila continued by saying that she admired the descriptions of nature throughout the book including the title.  She also underlined the fact that the author used some Turkish words that are no longer part of the daily language.  She stated that Hamdi Bey’s outstanding poems add to the literary richness of the book which also includes legends, myths and archaeological information.

Kadir Vargı confided to the audience how Hamdi Topçuoğlu’s writing about the Aegean region influenced him taking him back to his childhood in the Black Sea region of Turkey.  While speaking about his childhood memories, his sentimental words moved the audience. Ending his speech with a poem of his own was an excellent way of demonstrating how much Hamdi Bey writing has inspired him.

Semih Adıyaman conveyed to the audience that Hamdi Bey’s writing resembles Claude Lelouche films. He said, “When a voyager wants to gather information, an archaeologist gives extensive detailed technical information, a tourist guide makes it more enjoyable by adding some information of nature but Hamdi Bey has added literature to all of these.”  He ended his speech by saying that it is a pleasure to travel with someone who has lived in this area.

The last speaker, Güler Bener, compared Hamdi Bey’s book to the blue voyage. She said that in the book she found the taste of nature as well as history, that the author knows the region very well and understands and portrays the nature as well as understanding and portraying Anatolian people.  She also stated that she was very much impressed by the poems and by the fact that, the book being launched in May, the first story was dedicated to mothers.

Following the speeches, Hamdi Topçuoğlu thanked Dr Enis Timuçin for the drawing of the book cover and Filiz Okat for editing the book. They, in turn, thanked Hamdi Bey and relayed to the audience the important role of Hamdi Bey in their lives.

The book launch ended with Hamdi Bey’s signing of his books and some more chatting on the part of the audience in the foyer.

Vivian Kohen[:tr]Hamdi TopçuoğluKarya’dan İyonya’ya – Güneşli Yağmurlar Ülkesi
14 Mayıs 2012
İçten ve aydın kişiliğiyle katıldığı her etkinliğe renk ve bilgi katan değerli H3A üyesi Bodrum Kent Konseyi Başkanı, eğitimci, yazar ve şair Hamdi Topçuoğlu’nun yeni kitabının tanıtımı Bodrum Ticaret Odasının toplantı salonunda yapıldı.   Selçuk Şahin, Ludmila Denisenko, Kadir Vargı, Semih Adıyaman ve Güler Bener konuşmalarıyla kitabı değişik açılardan irdeleyerek dinleyicilere etkilendikleri özelliklerini açıklarken, Hamdi Topçuoğlu’nun çok yönlü kişiliği üzerinde de durdular.

Açılış konuşmasını yapan Selçuk Şahin, Karya’dan İyonya’ya adlı kitabı okumanın yaşadığımız yöreyi daha iyi tanımamıza ve daha çok tadına varmamıza yardımcı olacağını söyledi.  Selçuk Bey,  Hamdi Bey’i tanıdıktan sonra Bodrum’a farklı bir gözle bakmayı öğrendiğini ve Stratonekeia’dan Lagina’ya bir çok ören yerinin değerini anlayarak oralara sonradan defalarca gittiğini anlattı.

İkinci konuşmacı, Ludmila Denisenko, Hamdi Bey’in daha önce tanıdığı insanlardan çok farklı ve kendine özgü olduğundan bahsetti. Derin entelektüel yapısına rağmen aynı zamanda bir halk insanı olmasını, ulaşılmaz görünenlerle yakın ilişkiye girebilmesini buna örnek olarak gösterdi. Kitabın başlığı da dahil olmak üzere tüm kitap boyunca doğa betimlemelerini beğendiğini belirten Ludmilla, yazarın “perkitmek, aparmak” gibi günümüzde kullanılmayan sözcükleri eklemiş olmasına dikkat çekti. Ludmilla, ayrıca, kitabın efsaneler ve arkeolojik bilgilerle donatılmış zenginliğine Hamdi Bey’in harikulade şiirlerinin de büyük katkısı olduğunu ifade etti.

Kadir Vargı, Hamdi Topçu’nun Ege hakkındaki metinlerinin kendisini nasıl Karadeniz Bölgesinde geçen çocukluğuna götürdüğünü anlatırken duygulandı ve izleyicilere duygusal anlar yaşattı.  Sözlerini kendi yazdığı bir şiirle bitiren Kadir Bey Hamdi Bey’in yazılarının nasıl esin kaynağı olabileceğini göstermiş oldu.

Semih Adıyaman, Hamdi Bey’in yazılarını Claude Lelouche filmlerine benzetti. Bir gezgin bilgilenmek istediğinde arkeologların teknik ayrıntıya girdiğini, profesyonel rehberlerin teknik bilgiye biraz doğa bilgisi katarak bunu daha zevkli hale getirdiğini fakat Hamdi Bey’in bütün bunlara bir de edebiyatı eklediğini söyledi. Bu topraklarda yaşayan biriyle gezmenin ise en büyük keyif olduğunu belirterek sözlerini noktaladı.

En son konuşmacı olan Güler Bener Hamdi Bey’in kitabını mavi yolculuğa benzetti.  Kitaptan tarihin yanısıra doğa tadı aldığını, yazarın yöreyi çok iyi bildiğini, doğayı çok iyi anlayıp anlattığını ve ayrıca Anadolu insanını da çok iyi anlayarak çok güzel bir Anadolu mozaiği çizdiğini vurguladı.  Şiirlerden etkilendiğini söyleyen konuşmacı, ilk öykünün annelere ithaf edilmesinden çok duygulandığını belirtti.

Konuşmacılardan sonra kürsüye gelen Hamdi Topçu, kitabın kapağını çizen Doç. Dr. Enis Timuçin ile kitabın yazım hatalarını düzelten Filiz Okat’a teşekkür ederek sözü onlara bıraktı. Gerek Enis Timuçin, gerekse Filiz Okat konuşmalarında Hamdi Bey’in hayatlarında ne kadar önemli bir rol oynadığından bahsettiler.

Tanıtım Hamdi Bey’in izleyicilerin kitaplarını imzalaması ve toplantı salonunun giriş bölümünde devam eden sohbetlerle son buldu.[:]

From Caria to Ionia – The Country of Sunny Rains
14 May 2012
Mr. Hamdi Topçuoğlu, who is the president of Bodrum City Council, an educator, author and poet as well as being an amiable and intellectual member of H3A, launched his new book at the Bodrum Chamber of Commerce.   The speakers, Selçuk Şahin, Ludmila Denisenko, Kadir Vargı, Semih Adıyaman and Güler Bener discussed the different aspects of the book which impressed them and emphasised Hamdi Topçuoğlu’s versatile personality.

In his opening address, Selçuk Şahin said that reading the book “From Caria to Ionia” would help us to know more about the region we live in and to enjoy it more.  Selçuk Bey added that, after having known Hamdi Bey, he saw Bodrum from a different perspective and appreciated the value of archaeological places like Stratonikeia and Lagina and went to visit these places many more times thereafter.

The second speaker, Ludmila Denisenko, explained with examples how Hamdi Bey differed from the other people she knew and how genuine he was, easily making friends with the folk despite his highly intellectual status. Ludmila continued by saying that she admired the descriptions of nature throughout the book including the title.  She also underlined the fact that the author used some Turkish words that are no longer part of the daily language.  She stated that Hamdi Bey’s outstanding poems add to the literary richness of the book which also includes legends, myths and archaeological information.

Kadir Vargı confided to the audience how Hamdi Topçuoğlu’s writing about the Aegean region influenced him taking him back to his childhood in the Black Sea region of Turkey.  While speaking about his childhood memories, his sentimental words moved the audience. Ending his speech with a poem of his own was an excellent way of demonstrating how much Hamdi Bey writing has inspired him.

Semih Adıyaman conveyed to the audience that Hamdi Bey’s writing resembles Claude Lelouche films. He said, “When a voyager wants to gather information, an archaeologist gives extensive detailed technical information, a tourist guide makes it more enjoyable by adding some information of nature but Hamdi Bey has added literature to all of these.”  He ended his speech by saying that it is a pleasure to travel with someone who has lived in this area.

The last speaker, Güler Bener, compared Hamdi Bey’s book to the blue voyage. She said that in the book she found the taste of nature as well as history, that the author knows the region very well and understands and portrays the nature as well as understanding and portraying Anatolian people.  She also stated that she was very much impressed by the poems and by the fact that, the book being launched in May, the first story was dedicated to mothers.

Following the speeches, Hamdi Topçuoğlu thanked Dr Enis Timuçin for the drawing of the book cover and Filiz Okat for editing the book. They, in turn, thanked Hamdi Bey and relayed to the audience the important role of Hamdi Bey in their lives.

The book launch ended with Hamdi Bey’s signing of his books and some more chatting on the part of the audience in the foyer.

Vivian Kohen