[5] İzgü was born in Adana on 29 October 1933 to a poor family, and as a child he had to work as a waiter, dishwasher, and beverage vendor at the cinemas while furthering his education.
[7] He wrote two autobiographic works, Zıkkımın Kökü ("The Root of the Poison") and Ekmek Parası ("Breadwinning").
[8] The publisher commends the author's, "deft and perceptive comic touch", as, "he even gives a lesson on how to cross the road in Turkey without getting run over!
"[9] During which, according to Marion James, writing in Sunday's Zaman, "Six pages of wit, sharp insight into cultural differences and dialog that makes the reader laugh out loud follow until our hero finally learns the trick.
"[3] Marion James goes on to state, "İzgü presents the normal everyday of Turkish culture with a comic touch.
His perception is amazing, and in the first of five stories collected here, Letter from an Englishman, he manages the rare skill of stepping out of his shoes and viewing himself as others see him.
"[3] A review in Writing in Education states that the author, “produces incredibly funny social commentary.”[9] Devoted Moslem Ismail Effendi is also available as an online translation.