Books set in Turkey: five novels to read before traveling
Rich in history, art, and culture, Turkey is where Asia and Europe meet, all combined to make a fascinating vacation destination. But Turkey has a complex history, and if you really want to get under the skin of this intriguing country, then reading books set in Turkey is a great place to start. The novels below will help you scratch below the surface of tourist brochures and Christmas posters, deepening your understanding of this beautiful and exciting country. Why not give them a try before you set out on your journey?
‘Birds without wings’ by Louis de Bernières
Through the eyes of the residents of a small town in southwestern Turkey, this novel tells the story of how modern Turkey was created in the early 20th century. Through ordinary men and women, characters that you will come to love, you will witness the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the new secular state that emerges. This is a book that tour guides recommend to help people understand a little more about the history of their country.
Elif Shafak’s ‘Palace of the Flea’
The city of Istanbul is a character unto itself in this charming novel about the residents of the Bonbon Palace. Through the lives of the residents of the ten run-down apartments, we have a portrait of modern Turkish society.
‘Illustration’ by Maureen Freely
Beginning in 2005, this political thriller tells the story of former American patriot Jeannie Wakefield, whose husband is arrested for ties to terrorism. As an investigative journalist breaks down the story, we go back to the Istanbul of the 70s and the following decades of political turmoil. The novel traces real historical events, as it offers a picture of the complex politics and society of Turkey today, as well as shedding light on the background of Turkish-American relations today.
Alan Drew’s ‘Water Gardens’
On August 17, 1999, northwestern Turkey was hit by a powerful earthquake that killed an estimated 17,000 people and left half a million homeless. This novel is the story of a Kurdish family during that earthquake and its aftermath, as they struggle to rebuild their lives and keep their culture intact amid the challenge of living in a refugee camp, the influence of forbidden love, and the relentless despair of their children. . own wrong.
Orhan Pamuk’s ‘Museum of Innocence’
A list of novels about Turkey would not be complete without a book by Nobel laureate Pamuk. Like most of his books, Innocence is hard-hitting and challenging read, but this obsessive love story offers a wonderful picture of the emerging modernity of 1970s Istanbul. A brief affair with his young cousin leads 30-year-old Kemal to a lifelong obsession with the memory of their relationship. He begins collecting worldly objects for a museum in honor of his love, and his life passes as if nothing else matters. In a wonderful mix of fact and fiction, you will soon be able to visit the real Pamuk ‘Museum of Innocence’, which he is currently building in Instanbul, a place where he intends to display a collection of everyday objects that he has accumulated over the course of his life.
So if you are itching to get on that plane to explore Turkey ASAP, get an early start on these novels. I can guarantee you that as you walk through the markets of Istanbul or sit by the Bosphorus Strait watching all the activity, there will be many moments when the characters in these novels will feel as if they are right next to you.