Rovshan Abdullaoglu
Rovshan Abdulla oglu Abdullaev | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 28, 1978 Baku, Azerbaijan |
| Occupation(s) | Author, philosopher, psychologist |
| Known for | Author of 32 books; co-founder of Gadim Gala publishing company; member of PEN America |
Rovshan Abdulla oglu Abdullaev (born September 28, 1978) is an Azerbaijani author, philosopher, psychologist, and a member of PEN America. He is a co-founder of the publishing company Gadim Gala and currently leads its scientific division.
So far, 32 of his books have been released in Azerbaijan, with many achieving bestseller status and being translated into English, Russian, Turkish, Uzbek, and Arabic.
His literary output focuses on psychology, philosophy, irfan, life philosophy, and theology. The psychological novel This City is Empty, published in 2016, became a bestseller in Azerbaijan and inspired a multi-episode film adaptation slated for 2024 based on his screenplay. His 2020 book The Man on the Rails received a gold medal at the international Reader's Favorite contests held in the USA. In 2024, his novel The Pathfinder: Not Your Prey was shortlisted for the Eric Hoffer Book Award and awarded a five-star rating by Reader's Favorite.
Abdullaoglu also engages actively in social initiatives, leading psychological workshops, teaching philosophy at academic institutions, appearing on media platforms, and establishing various charitable projects.
Biography
Rovshan Abdulla oglu Abdullaev was born in Baku on September 28, 1978. His father, Abdulla Abdullayev, initially served as a police major before becoming a lawyer and took part in the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. His mother, Gulnara Abdullayeva, spent nearly three decades working as an accountant in the banking sector. He has two brothers: Altai Abdullayev, a specialist in neonatology, and Farhad Abdullayev, who co-founded and serves as CEO of Gadim Gala publishing house.
He is married and has three children.
Education
Abdullaoglu finished secondary school in 1995 and subsequently enrolled at Azerbaijan State Economic University. Following that, he completed service with the Azerbaijan border troops.
Over the course of eight years at multiple universities, he studied Arabic, Persian, theology, scholasticism, Arabic literature, as well as both Eastern and Western philosophy.
In 2013, he obtained certification as a gestalt therapist from the Psychological Department of the Moscow Institute of Positive Technologies and Consulting.
Works
Rovshan Abdullaoglu has authored 32 books published within Azerbaijan, most of which have become bestsellers. His works are available in translations including English, Russian, Turkish, Uzbek, Malay, and Arabic.
Among his prominent titles are Burn the Bridges behind You, Life Goes On, No Matter What, and This City is Empty, all released in the Turkish market.
Translations and interpretations
Beginning in 2011, Abdullaoglu undertook translating Avicenna’s final work, Remarks and Admonitions (Kitab al-isharat wa al-tanbihat). Alongside this detailed translation, he provided his own analyses of Avicenna’s metaphysical and logical concepts through two publications: Contemplation and On the Levels of the Mystics.
In 2012, he translated and offered commentary on texts by philosopher-scientist Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i, publishing the treatise in three volumes. His interpretation of Tabataba'i’s Arabic philosophical work on ontology titled Bidayatul Hikma appeared under the name The Beginning of Wisdom.
That same year saw him translate The First Book by Sulaym ibn Qays, acknowledged as one of the earliest manuscripts originating from the Islamic world.
Psychological Publications
In his later writings—such as Burn the Bridges behind You, Every Human a Ruler, Life Goes on no Matter What, Rebellion, and Fears—the author delves into psychological concepts from both Western and Eastern traditions.
Literary Works
His debut psychological novel, This City is Empty, emerged as Azerbaijan's top-selling book in 2016, garnering a Reader's Favorite five-star accolade along with a 4.5/5 rating from the Self-Publishing Review. In 2024, a multi-season television adaptation based on Rovshan Abdullaoglu’s screenplay premiered.
The follow-up novel, The Man on the Rails (2017), was awarded a gold medal in the 2020 International Readers' Favorite Book Contest under cultural fiction and received a five-star distinction from Readers' Favorite. It also obtained a 4.9/5 score and an IR-Approved badge from IndieReaders, while being recognized among the best independent releases by Kirkus Reviews.
Released in 2018, the psychological detective novel Abaddon sold out within three hours of launch and was honored with a Reader’s Favorite five-star rating.
In 2022, the novel Blindworm, centered on the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, quickly rose to the top of bestseller charts both within Azerbaijan and internationally.
Popular Science Titles
His inaugural work, The Veil of Light and Darkness (2010), investigates elements influencing moral growth and individual development, focusing on the soul’s attributes and its veils of illumination and shadow.
Signature of Life (2012) introduces mystical (irfan) philosophies from ancient teachings that assert all entities possess life.
In March 2019, the first installment of the God: Myth or Reality series titled Captivity was released, analyzing psychological motivations behind the vehement rejection and defense mechanisms against the idea of a "creator" across various belief systems.
Recognition of Books
His works translated into English have been met with positive critiques from leading literary reviewers in the United States.
Community Engagement
Rovshan Abdullaoglu conducts seminars on psychological subjects, teaches philosophy at educational institutions, cultural centers, and universities, and regularly appears on television and radio broadcasts.
Building upon his academic research concerning social influences on adolescent psychology and debates surrounding evolutionary theory, he has authored numerous articles published in newspapers and magazines.
In 2018, all proceeds from his novel The Man on the Rails were donated to the Azerbaijan Social Community Aid for Orphans and Children of Martyrs.
Abdullaoglu was honored with the first-ever "Friend of Health" award by EGE hospital in 2019, which included lifelong complimentary medical care.
In 2020, he contributed as an expert during webinars organized by the UN Population Fund and UN-WOMEN focusing on gender equality, also participating in related programs broadcasted on national television.
Through his initiative, Gadim Gala publishing distributed 2,020 copies of his books to veterans, military personnel, and families impacted by the Second Karabakh War.
For his project "Zəfər tarixi 2020" (Victory History 2020), he received a "Certificate of Appreciation" from "Əmanət," an organization supporting children of martyrs and veterans.
In 2022, Abdullaoglu presented a TEDx lecture titled "Psychological Traps that Control Our Choices" at the British College.
He secured victories in both the VI and VII Grant Competitions for Development and Innovation in Education (2022–2023) with psychological development initiatives Discover Yourself and Trust Yourself aimed at improving educational performance.
In June 2023, invited by Azerbaijani diaspora groups and cultural centers, he toured seven U.S. states hosting events dedicated to social and psychological themes to promote modern Azerbaijani literature.
Sport
From an early age, Rovshan has been passionate about both literature and physical activities. During his adolescence, he trained in multiple disciplines including wrestling, sambo, karate, judo, boxing, and acrobatics. Notably, in 2011, he earned a silver medal at the international judo event called "Vahdat."
Travel
To broaden his artistic inspiration and immerse himself in the cultures that inspire his writings, Rovshan embarked on journeys to several European nations such as Ireland, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, and Italy.
Between 2018 and 2019, his travels took him across various African regions where he interacted with indigenous groups like the Pygmy, Hadzabi, Mursi, Karajong, and Hamar tribes.
In December 2019, Rovshan joined an expedition to Antarctica departing from Ushuaia, Argentina—often referred to as the "End of the World"—where he explored the activities conducted at the Bellingshausen polar research station.