Houshang Moradi Kermani

Moradi Kermani in the conference of Kerman in the course of history , Tehran, 30 December 2011.

Houshang Moradi Kermani (born 7 September 1944 at Sirch, a village in Kerman Province, Iran) (Persian: هوشنگ مرادی کرمانی‎) is an eminent Iranian writer best known for children's and young adult fiction. For his lasting contribution as a children's writer, he was a finalist in 2014 for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest recognition available to creators of children's books.[1]

Moradi Kermani was born in Sirch, a village in Kerman Province, and was educated in Sirch, Kerman, and Tehran.[2]

Several Iranian movies and TV-series have been made based on his books. In 2006, Dariush Mehrjui directed Mehman-e Maman based on Moradi Kermani's novel with the same title.[3]

Some of Moradi Kermani's books have been translated into English, German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Arabic, and Armenian. His auto-biography was published by Moin Publishers in 2005, entitled "You're No Stranger Here" (Shoma ke gharibe nistid).

He has won many national and international awards which include Hans Christian Andersen Honorary diploma (1992) and University of San Francisco book of the year (2000).

Houshang Moradi Kermani is a 2018 candidate for the Astrid Lindgren award.

Works

"You're No Stranger Here" (“Shoma ke gharibe nistid”) is an award winning autobiography by Houshang Moradi Kermani, translated by Caroline Croskery.

A boy they call Hooshoo from a small village in Iran, contends with poverty and his mentally ill father, who repeatedly embarrasses him by showing up at his school. His father behaves strangely and the children make fun of him for it. He has never seen his mother because she passed away only few months after he was born. Being raised by his grandparents, Hooshoo becomes the scapegoat for every disaster that befalls the family, their poverty and even the death of his relatives. He often struggles with hunger to the point of eating raw tomatoes from someone’s garden. He finds an escape into the world of reading novels. He dreams of studying Persian literature, but his uncle refuses even to let him work in a book store. He dreams of becoming a skit writer in a radio station. He eventually also discovers a love for theater and cinema. He tries earning money for tickets any way he can, even by playing a clown. He is ridiculed and warned that he will bring nothing but shame upon the family. He applies for a job at the local radio station, but fails due to his local accent. When the director at the radio station sees his writing, he proposes to use them in radio skits. To support himself, Houshang gets a job as a scribe in a divorce court, but ends up getting beaten up by angry people. He eventually moves to Tehran where he commits his father to a mental institution and begins his studies at the university. An earthquake in Sirch destroys the village and many of his family and friends die. The book concludes with his statement about life - that despite the pain and affliction, life is still joyful and precious. The joy of being able to read and write, connecting with family and friends, walking under the sun, and hearing the birds chirp makes it all worthwhile.

Houshang Moradi Kermani grew up in the village of Sirch to become Iran’s eminent author of fiction for children and young adults. These are the many true stories from his life that became the inspiration for his books, several of which have been made into television serials and feature films. With a mother who died in his infancy and a father who suffers from mental illness, young Hooshoo is raised by his grandmother and grandfather. After their passing, he is challenged at a very early age to overcome emotional strains and discover his identity. His love for reading and writing becomes his tool for survival through the pain he feels about his situation. He spends a blissful and nostalgic early youth in the village before moving to the city in his adolescence to live in an orphanage school. His experiences in Kerman form his destiny, make him stronger and lead him to the place in life he knew he was meant to reach.

Selected works

  • The Tales of Majid (Ghesseh-ha-ye Majid; قصه‌های مجید‎) translated by Caroline Croskery
  • The Boot (Chakmeh; چکمه‎)
  • The Palm (Nakhl; نخل‎) translated by Caroline Croskery
  • The Tale of That Vat (Dastan-e an khomreh; داستان آن خمره‎)
  • The Tandoor (Tanour; تنور‎)
  • The Water Urn (Khomreh; کوزه‎) translated by Caroline Croskery
  • Mommy's Guest (Mehman-e maaman; مهمان مامان‎)
  • Fist on Hide (Mosht bar poust; مشت بر پوست‎)
  • You're No Stranger Here (Shoma ke gharibe nistid; شما که غریبه نیستید‎) translated by Caroline Croskery
  • A Sweet Jam (Moraba ye Shirin;مربای شیرین‎) translated by Caroline Croskery

References

  1. ↑ "2014 Awards". Hans Christian Andersen Awards. International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). With contemporary material including the 17 March 2014 shortlist press release. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  2. ↑ "Moradi Kermani's "The big clay jar" travels to Taiwan". Iran Book News Agency (ibna.ir). 30 December 2009. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  3. ↑ "Houshang Moradi Kermani". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
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