?skender Pala ?skender Pala was born in U?ak in 1958 and received his undergraduate degree from the faculty of literature of Istanbul University in 1979. He received his Doctorate in Ottoman Divan Literature from the same university in 1983. His short stories, essays, academic papers and newspaper columns have inspired his readers to see Divan literature in a new light. A recipient of the Turkish Writers Association Prize (1989), The Turkish Language Foundation AKDTYK Prize (1990) and the Turkish Writers Association Essay Prize (1996), he was given the title The Peoples Poet by popular vote in U?ak.
