Sevin Okyay

Sevin Okyay

Sevin Okyay (Istanbul, 1942) is a Turkish literary critic, journalist, author, regular columnist and a prolific translator. Sevin had been a radio host and a teacher as well.

She is a graduate of the Arnavutköy American Girl's (High) School. During her youth she worked with , the first formally educated female photographer in Turkey. Okyay is best known for translating the Harry Potter books, and for her positive and appreciative criticism in Radikal, a Turkish newspaper. Her son, , is also following his mother's footsteps and is accompanying her in translating the Harry Potter series.

Okyay has been translating since 1963. She started working as a journalist in 1976. She writes mainly about cinema, literature, jazz and sports. She is hailed as a milestone of modern translation in Turkey. She used to have two cats who were twins, named after the Weasley twins. A serious jazz aficionado, she was the host of a radio show in Turkey, and her playlist included mainly jazz standards.

Selected bibliography[]

• Ilk Romanim (My First Novel) novel, 1996
• 120 Filmde Seyriâlem (A Cinema Tour in 120 Films) selected movie critiques, 1996
• Çiçek Dürbünü (Kaleidoscope) collected essays, 1998

Her Major Translation Work[]

• , by Ted Hughes

Ilk Dünya Hikayeleri YKY, 1999, ISBN 975-363-784-5

• , by Edouard Roditi

Türkiye Tatlari, YKY, 1999, ISBN 975-363-909-0

• Raise High the Roof-Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction, by J.D. Salinger

Yükseltin Tavan Kirisini, Ustalar ve Seymour - bir Giris, with Coskun Yerli, YKY, 1999, ISBN 975-363-318-1

• Animal Farm, by George Orwell

Hayvanlar Çiftliği, YKY 2000

• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter ve Sirlar Odasi, YKY 2001, ISBN 975-08-0295-0

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter ve Azkaban Tutsagi, with K. Kutlu, YKY 2001, ISBN 975-08-0311-6

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter ve Ates Kadehi, with K. Kutlu, YKY 2001, ISBN 975-08-0331-0

• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?, by J.K. Rowling

Fantastik Canavlar Nelerdir, Nerelerde Bulunurlar?, with Gül Sarioglu, YKY 2002, ISBN 975-08-0413-9

• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter ve Zümrüdüanka Yoldasligi, with K. Kutlu, YKY 2003, ISBN 975-08-0645-X

• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter ve Melez Prens, with K. Kutlu, YKY 2005, ISBN 975-08-0995-5

External links[]

• A collection of her critiques (in Turkish)
• An article in English by Okyay on the 9th Flying Broom International Women's Film Festival