Istanbul reading
Tuesday May 8, 2007
Good news for me: I'll be going to Istanbul on business for a week in early June, and will be blogging from there. Never been before, and am really looking forward to it. If there's one book, either fiction or...
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About Crunchy Con
Rod Dreher is an editorial columnist for the Dallas Morning News, and author of "Crunchy Cons" (Crown Forum), a nonfiction book about conservatives, most of them religious, whose faith and political convictions sometimes put them at odds with mainstream conservatives. The views expressed in this blog are his own.
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Drop a line to Jim Geraghty over at your old haunts. He's been living in Turkey for quite some time now, not sure if he's back in the states yet or not. mailto:jiminturkey%40gmail.com
Not a book, but the Oecumenical Patriarchate has a wonderful, detailed tour on its website of what (little) remains of Christian Byzantium in the city. Sadly, most of the once glorious churches of the city are now badly deteriorating mosques (or have vanished without a trace) but many are nevertheless worth a visit. http://www.ec-patr.org
City of the World's Desire by Philip Mansell: http://www.amazon.com/Constantinople-City-Worlds-Desire-1453-1924/dp/0312187084/ref=sr_1_1/002-6898472-0156005?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1178651261&sr=8-1 The Walls of Constantinople: http://www.amazon.com/Walls-Constantinople-AD-324-1453-Fortress/dp/184176759X/ref=sr_1_4/002-6898472-0156005?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1178651313&sr=1-4 Runciman's Fall of Constantinople: http://www.amazon.com/Fall-Constantinople-1453-Canto/dp/0521398320/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/002-6898472-0156005?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1178651313&sr=1-3 Freely's Istanbul: The Imperial City: http://www.amazon.com/Istanbul-Imperial-City-John-Freely/dp/0140244611/ref=sr_1_1/002-6898472-0156005?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1178651597&sr=1-1 Somewhere I have a book which lists the Byzantine monuments in the city, but I'll have to look through my collection.
By the way, I am so green with envy that I'm turning blue. You lucky, lucky guy.
Definitely read Pamuk's "My name is Red". I have not read his "Istanbul: Memories and the City" but probably worth checking out. You might also enjoy Stephen Kinzer's "Crescent and Star". Kinzer was a former New York Times Istanbul bureau chief.
Orhan Pamuk has a memoir of the city called "Istanbul: Memories and the City". His most recent novel, "Snow," is mostly set in Kars in northeastern Turkey. I recently read "The Bastard of Istanbul" by Elif Shafak. I would recommend it - you get an interesting picture of some of the divisions in Turkish society and their relationship with the past - particularly the Armenian genocide. The Economist recently (Feb 15, 2007) had an interesting article on English-speaking expat poets in Istanbul (http://www.economist.com/books/displaystory.cfm?story_id=E1_RGJSPJD); perhaps some of their poetry can offer you an interesting perspective on the city.
Don't acquire an Islamic death sentence while you're there Rod.
I tried to read "Red," but found the lives of 14th century Islamic miniaturists bewildering. But I wholeheartedly recommend "Snow," which will indeed give you a memorable introduction to present-day Turkey, and especially to why the head-scarves issue is such a flashpoint in Islam today. It's one of the best books I've read in years.
I lived in Istanbul for quite a while long ago, and revisited it not long ago, and in both cases, it was the most erotic, magnetic, historically aluring and myterious city on two continents. Most of my hot tips and almost all of the stories are best shared off-post. Congrats on an exciting assignment. Trust me. I'm jealous! In the best sense of the worlds.
Pamuk has a book out now in English called Istanbul. It's about the city and his growing up in it.
Professor Carter Findley at Ohio State has a good book putting the Ottomans his historical context. He is a hard-core world systems guy, but you will learn a lot: http://www.amazon.com/Turks-History-Carter-Vaughn-Findley/dp/0195177266
The classic on Byzantium is still Ostrogorsky's Political History: ttp://www.amazon.com/History-Byzantine-State-Georgije-Ostrogorski/dp/0813511984/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-4442106-0739020?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1178676759&sr=1-2 Professor Gregory has put together a good survey of Byzantium more recently: http://www.amazon.com/History-Byzantium-306-1453-Blackwell-Ancient/dp/0631235132/ref=sr_1_1/103-4442106-0739020?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1178676827&sr=1-1
"Somewhere I have a book which lists the Byzantine monuments in the city, but I'll have to look through my collection." You may be thinking of John Freely's "Istanbul: The Imperial City", which I have a copy of on my shelf...and which I'm going to read one of these days. Really I am. :) Anyway, it has a long section in the back on the various monuments.
I can't recommend any books on Istanbul, but I wanted to thank you, Rod, for pointing me to Hughes' book on Barcelona. I wasn't aware of it, but will now seek it out. I've been there a couple of times, and it's one of my favorite cities. I look forward to being better prepared next time I go back after reading Hughes(I have extended family there). Thanks again. Have a great trip.
First that comes to mind is the most popular-Orhan Pamuk Istanbul: Hatiralar ve Sehir Maybe a novel 'Turkish Gambit' (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/1400060508/sr=8-1/qid=1178711935/ref=cm_cr_dp_pt/002-2566865-5732858?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books&qid=1178711935&sr=8-1) it is a light mystery novel, not about Istanbul particularly, it is about naive ingenue girl who went to the Turkish front while the war with Turkey, for serious person it might appear rather silly, but for entertainment it is not bad. (there is also a movie by that book) Turkey is a great country, it was the first and the only abroad country i ever visited, my employers send me there last year for 3 days, although i didn't visit Istanbul it made a great impression. There are so many mosques everywhere, even in villages, perhaps as many as orthodox churches in russia, not less.I remeber when i went out on the balkony of my hotel at 4 o'clock in the morning, hot air hit in my face, it was very dark, some strange bird was making sounds 'ouu-ouu' like an owl, and suddenly started a sound of prayer in unknown language somewhere from the mountains, later i learned that they get up very early for first prayers and transmit it through loud-speakers on minarets, it makes a transcendental impression in darkness in mountains.
What seemed strange in Turkey is that after i washed my shirt it didn't get dry for 2 days, perhaps it is because the air is very humid there, but it's hard to notice it when it's very hot and sunny.
The Great Church in Captivity by Sir Steven Runcimen
Rod, You will love Istanbul--it is still the greatest city in the world, in my book. I will be back there from June 10th-June 14th. If that overlaps with your stay, and if I can be of any assistance, please let me know. This will be my 5th visit there.
Read Pamuk's book on Istanbul--a good overview of 20th-century Istanbul. I have a big coffee-table book "Byzantine Monuments of Istanbul" by Freely. I will glady loan it to you, if interested. I am in an out of St. Seraphim, so getting it to you would not be a problem. Other tips:
I know you will visit Haghia Sophia--that is a given. But also try to find the Haghia Eirene open (inside outer wall of Topkapi).
A visit to Chora Church is a must. You might try to arrange to see the Church of the Pammakaristos. If you visit the Patriarchate, do not tell the taxi driver that is where you are going--he won't take you there.
NEVER use a taxi in Sultanhamet. If you must use one, have your hotel call. Learn to use the tram system. It is so easy. If you have a free day, take a ferry out to Princes Islands. Have a drink at the bar of the Pera Palace Hotel. Have another drink at the rooftop terrace of the Four Seasons Hotel in Sultanhamet. Best small hotel in Sultanhamet: Apricot Hotel. You can email me at tcowan at jcowaninc.com
Ataturk: The Biography of the founder of Modern Turkey by Andrew Mango (Paperback - Aug 26, 2002) would seem to be a good read, giving you a sense of what makes this country unique. I also enjoyed: A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East by David Fromkin (Paperback - Sep 1, 2001) Have a safe trip
Runciman's The Fall of Constantinople is wonderful. I read it (finally) last year.
Visit the Topkapi museum. I could live there. Go to the bazaar, and leave at the back entrance and sit at one of the sidewalk cafes there, have a coffee and feel worldly and cosmopolitan.
I only went on tours, but to me Istanbul felt more western and modern than Athens. Anyone out there comment? Kim M
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