Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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The 125th anniversary of the birth of People's Writer Ali Valiyev has been widely celebrated in Azerbaijan, honoring one of the nation's most influential literary figures, AzerNEWS reports.

National Library has organized special exhibitions to mark the anniversary of the prominent writer, who left a distinctive mark on the development of 20th-century Azerbaijani prose.

The virtual exhibition is titled "Prominent Writer, People's Writer Ali Valiyev." In addition, the library has presented the traditional book exhibition "People's Writer Ali Valiyev – 125" to its visitors.

The exhibitions feature the writer's short stories, novellas, novels, essays, fairy tales, and legends, as well as books he edited or wrote prefaces for.

They also demonstrate materials on his life and creative work, memories of prominent figures about him, photographs, and press publications.

Those interested in exploring the virtual exhibition can visit the following link:

Ali Valiyev (1901 – 1983) was a prominent Azerbaijani prose writer, journalist, and cultural figure, whose work played a great role in the Azerbaijani literature.

Valiyev began his literary career while studying at the Baku Central Party School, contributing as an active worker-peasant correspondent to newspapers such as "Kommunist", "Kəndli", "Gənc İşçi" and and "Yeni Fikir".

His early stories were also published in journals including "Inqilab və Mədəniyyət", "Hücum", "Ədəbiyyat Cəbhəsində", establishing him as a notable voice in Soviet Azerbaijani literature.

In 1930, he published his first books, "The Journey of God" and "My Grandmother's Wrath." Between 1937 and 1941, he continued to produce significant works such as "Snowy Mountains," "The Hero," "The Decorated Shepherd," and "Proof".

During the Great Patriotic War (1941–1942), Valiyev served as a writer-journalist on the frontlines, documenting the heroism of soldiers and civilians in his collection "Frontline Stories".

After the war, he published notable works including the novellas "Gulshan" and "The Spoiled One", and the novel "The Flowered", which earned him the prestigious M.F. Akhundov Prize in 1958. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he held editorial positions at "Kommunist" newspaper, the Azerbaijan Writers' Union, and "Azerbaijan" journal.

The writer continued to expand his literary repertoire with historical and contemporary novels, short stories, essays, and children's literature. Among his significant later works are "Madar's Epic," "Friends of the Heart," "Memories of Budag," "The Road to Turajli", and the collections "Gifts for Children" and "A Pair of Stars". His writings were published in Azerbaijani, Russian, and Ukrainian, reflecting both local and broader Soviet literary currents.

Beyond writing, Ali Valiyev was actively engaged in cultural administration, serving as executive secretary of the Azerbaijan Writers' Union and editing leading literary journals.

His editorial and organizational work significantly influenced Azerbaijani literature, nurturing younger writers and promoting national literary traditions.