Aras Publishing

Aras Yayıncılık (Aras Publishing) is an Istanbul-based publishing house founded in 1993, widely described as a "window into Armenian literature" in Turkey. It is one of the few publishers in the country producing books in both Turkish and Armenian, and it positions itself as a bridge between the different cultures that have coexisted in the same geography. Its catalogue spans literature, history, memoir, poetry, short stories, biography, children's books, cookbooks, and translations, with a strong emphasis on Armenian authors and on making Armenian literary heritage accessible to Turkish-language readers. The publisher was founded under the leadership of the Armenian writer Mıgırdiç Margosyan, and it has carried on the deep-rooted Armenian publishing tradition in Turkey into the new millennium. Its stated mission is to help people from different cultures born and raised in the same region understand one another better through literature, and to contribute jointly to humanity's shared values. It also aims to transmit the cultural elements of Anatolia to future generations. Aras publishes roughly eight to ten titles a year, issuing both translations of Armenian authors and original Turkish-language works by contemporary Armenian writers. Its output includes notable titles such as Antan Özer's poetry, Zabel Yesayan's works, Zaven Biberyan's novels, and Mıgırdiç Margosyan's own cult book of Diyarbakır stories. The house also offers curated book sets, including the Istanbul Armenian Women Writers series, the Yesayan set, the Biberyan set, and the Diyarbakır set. Beyond Turkish and Armenian, Aras has published English-language editions and translations, including works translated by Ekin Kurtdarcan, Nazım Dikbaş, and Matthew Chovanec. Its catalogue reflects a dual commitment: preserving Armenian cultural memory and fostering cross-cultural dialogue within Turkey and beyond.

Aras Yayıncılık was founded in Istanbul in 1993 under the leadership of the Armenian writer Mıgırdiç Margosyan. From its early years it pursued a publishing line that quickly earned it the description of a "window into Armenian literature." It became one of the rare publishing houses in Turkey producing works in two languages, Turkish and Armenian. The house set out to publish translations of Armenian authors as well as Turkish-language works by contemporary Armenian writers. Its broader aim was to help people from different cultures born and raised in the same geographic region know and understand one another better through literature, and to contribute together to humanity's shared values. It also sought to carry Anatolia's cultural elements to future generations and to represent and continue the deep-rooted Armenian publishing tradition in Turkey. Over the decades Aras has issued a wide range of titles. Its Armenian-language output includes works such as A. Antonyan's "The Balkan War" (1999), A. Pehlivanyan's "Independence Is Not Two Steps Away" (1999), R. Kepapçıyan's "Speak, Halil Bey" (2000), H. Mnzuri's "Athens, You Have Salt" (2000), H. Aslanyan's "My Name Is Hagop, My Birthplace Is Tokat" (2005), Zahrad's "Taste of Pumpkin" (2009), Z. Yesayan's "In the Ruins" (2010), and Z. Mindanoğlu's "Armenian Periodical Press 1794–2000" (in Turkish, 2014), among others. It publishes roughly eight to ten titles a year. In addition to Turkish and Armenian, Aras has produced English-language editions and translations, with translators including Ekin Kurtdarcan, Nazım Dikbaş, and Matthew Chovanec. Its English-language list includes works such as a book on Kamer Pul Evi (Kamer Stamps), one of the oldest private institutions in Turkey, and English editions of Mıgırdiç Margosyan's stories and Ara Güler's short stories and photographs. The publisher organizes its catalogue into extensive categories in Turkish, Armenian, English, and French, covering memoir, biography, comics, children's books, essays, travel, diaries, reviews, caricature, music, novella, plays, stories, autobiographies, portraits, novels, art, interviews, dictionaries, poetry, testimony, history, and food writing. It also offers curated book sets, including the Istanbul Armenian Women Writers series, the Yesayan set, the Biberyan set, the Diyarbakır set, and an introductory set. Through this catalogue, Aras has established itself as a continuing representative of the Armenian publishing tradition in Turkey into the new millennium.

• 2014

  Publishes Z. Mindanoğlu's "Armenian Periodical Press 1794–2000" in Turkish.

• 2010

  Publishes Z. Yesayan's "In the Ruins".

• 2009

  Publishes Zahrad's "Taste of Pumpkin".

• 2005

  Publishes H. Aslanyan's "My Name Is Hagop, My Birthplace Is Tokat".

• 2000

  Publishes R. Kepapçıyan's "Speak, Halil Bey" and H. Mnzuri's "Athens, You Have Salt".

• 1999

  Publishes A. Antonyan's "The Balkan War" and A. Pehlivanyan's "Independence Is Not Two Steps Away".

• 1993

  Aras Yayıncılık founded in Istanbul under the leadership of Mıgırdiç Margosyan.

A bilingual publisher serving as a bridge between Armenian and Turkish cultures, and a representative of Turkey's Armenian publishing tradition.

• İstanbullu Ermeni Kadın Yazarlar Dizisi Seti

  A set of works by Istanbul Armenian women writers.

• Yesayan Seti

  A set of Zabel Yesayan's works including Silahtar Bahçeleri, Sürgün Ruhum, Son Kadeh, Meliha Nuri Hanım, and Yıkıntılar Arasında.

• Biberyan Seti

  A set of Zaven Biberyan's works including Deniz, Yalnızlar, Meteliksiz Âşıklar, Karıncaların Günbatımı, and Mahkûmların Şafağı.

• Diyarbakır Seti

  A set of works related to Diyarbakır including Gavur Mahallesi, Amida'nın Sofrası, Amida'nın Ruhu, Ahım Var Diyarbakır, and Gittiler İşte.

• Tanışma Seti

  An introductory set including Kim Bu Ermeniler, Aşiq û Maşûq, Çok Uzak Çok Yakın, and Ermeni Edebiyatı Numuneleri.

• Mıgırdiç Margosyan's Diyarbakır stories

  A cult book first published in 1992, now in English, exploring Diyarbakır through colorful childhood stories.

• Ara Güler's short stories and photographs

  A book bringing together short stories Ara Güler penned during his early period and his photographs.

• Kamer Pul Evi (Kamer Stamps) history

  A book on one of the oldest private institutions in Turkey, founded in 1942.

1. 1Aras Yayıncılık official websitearasyayincilik.com
2. 2History – Aras Yayıncılıkarasyayincilik.com
3. 3Hakkımızda – Aras Yayıncılıkarasyayincilik.com
4. 4Short Story – Aras Yayıncılıkarasyayincilik.com
5. 5Wikidata: Araswikidata.org
6. 6Armenian Wikipedia: Արաս (հրատարակչատուն)hy.wikipedia.org