Turkish author Günday receives French award

Hakan Günday received one of the most prestigious literary awards, Le Prix medicis Etranger, in Paris.

One of the world’s most prestigious literary awards, France’s Le Prix Medicis Etranger, was presented to Turkish author Hakan Günday for his novel “Daha,” which is about immigrants. The award is presented each year to the best foreign novel in France. 

Günday, 39, attended the award ceremony held in Paris. His book, which was translated into French with the title “Encore,” is based on the life of a nine-year-old boy named Gaza whose father is a human trafficker. 

Günday, who entered the Turkish literary world at age 24 with his novel “Kinyas and Kayra,” has so far published eight novels.

Günday’s style is known as underground literature.

Turkish Nobel laureate novelist Orhan Pamuk also received the same award for his novel “Kar” (Snow) in 2005. 

Numerous world-renowned authors such as Umberto Eco and Paul Auster have been named for this prestigious award.