Shukur Holmirzayev

Renowned author Shukur Holmirzayev's stories, novellas, and novels are distinguished by their focus on unprecedented events and their richness in character. The author, Shukur Holmirzayev, who entered Uzbek literature during his student years with his novellas, received the Hamza State Prize of the Republic for his services to literature.

Shukur Holmirzayev was honored with the title of People's Writer of Uzbekistan in 1991.

Shukur Holmirzayev was born in 1940 in the Boysun district of Surkhandarya region. After finishing high school, he studied at Tashkent State University.

To date, Shukur Holmirzayev has presented readers with very many stories, several novellas, and novels.

Shukur Holmirzayev is one of the writers who lifted the art of Uzbek storytelling to a new, higher level after the master, Abdulla Qahhor. His stories, novellas, and novels are distinguished by their focus on unprecedented events and their richness in character.

The artist also tried his hand at dramaturgy, writing the play "Qora kamar," which reflects the struggle for national freedom carried out in the early 20s.

For his services to literature, Shukur Holmirzayev received the Hamza State Prize of the Republic, and in 1991, he was honored with the title of People's Writer of Uzbekistan.

The author bid farewell to this world in the autumn of 2005.

His first novella, "Oq otli," tells of the lives of mountain children. Shukur Holmirzayev's novellas "To'lqinlar" (1963) and "O'n sakkizga kirmagan kim bor?" (1965), written during his student years, are dedicated to the lives of his own generation—his peers.

The author's subsequent works were published, including the story collections "Olis yulduzlar ostida," "Hayot abadiy," "Og'ir tosh ko'chsa...", "Bodom qishda gulladi" (1968), "So'nmas olov" (1985), and "Tog'larga qor tushdi" (1987), as well as the novels "So'nggi bekat," "Qil ko'prik," "Yo'lovchi," and "Olabo'ji."

Why did the author call one of his novels "Olabo'ji"? Who is Olabo'ji himself? When you read the work, you understand that Olabo'ji is a "devona" (eccentric) who did not submit to the lifestyle of the Soviet regime and had high reverence for our national values. A madman? No, that is not it: this eccentric is a great archaeologist and, at the same time, a uniquely stubborn person who retreats into nature, escaping the blows of life. For this reason, he gets the nickname "Madman" and is eventually sent to an asylum.

Shukur's last novel is "Dinozavr." According to the author: "The theory that the strong win and the weak lose is incorrect! If the strong had the ability to win, the dinosaur would have won first. No, it dies. The reason? It was already fully formed. Thus: many brave men enter the arena. They know their death. But there is no way back for them. And the cowards? They died by hiding in their holes right then..."

Regardless of how controversial such a view may be, it is evident that the author has taken a unique path in reflecting the tragedy and suffering of intellectuals in accepting the present day—the new century.