Turkey Book Talk

Ceren Lord, Research Fellow at Oxford University’s School of Global and Area Studies, on “Religious Politics in Turkey: From the Birth of the Republic to the AKP” (Cambridge University Press). The book argues against the popular binary understanding of modern Turkish history, which pits a monolithic secular state against an authentic religious society. Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get (English and Turkish) transcripts of every interview, transcripts of the archive, access to a 35% discount on over 400 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris, and an archive of over 200 reviews covering Turkish and international fiction, history, journalism and politics.

Doğus Şimşek of Koç University and photographer Yusuf Sayman on “Çabuk Çabuk: Africans in Istanbul” (Pencere Yayınları). The book features text by Şimşek and over 100 photos by Sayman, giving a glimpse into the lives of migrants from a range of African countries struggling to get by in Istanbul. Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get (English and Turkish) transcripts of every interview, transcripts of the archive, access to a 35% discount on over 400 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris, and an archive of over 200 reviews covering Turkish and international fiction, history, journalism and politics.

Selda Tuncer, assistant professor at Yüzüncü Yıl University, on “Women and Public Space in Turkey: Gender, Modernity and the Urban Experience” (IB Tauris). The book is based on interviews with dozens of women who lived in the Turkish capital Ankara between 1950 and 1980. Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get (English and Turkish) transcripts of every interview, transcripts of the entire archive, access to a 35% discount on over 400 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris, and an archive of over 200 reviews covering Turkish and international fiction, history, journalism and politics.

Selim Koru on his paper: “The Resiliency of Turkey-Russia Relations.” Despite being historic rivals and at odds on many issues, Koru argues that Ankara-Moscow ties are becoming increasingly warm due to a shared underlying worldview, spurred by resentment of the West. Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get (English and Turkish) transcripts of every interview, transcripts of the entire archive, access to a 35% discount on over 400 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris, and an archive of over 200 reviews covering Turkish and international fiction, history, journalism and politics.

Maureen Freely on the enduring appeal of Sait Faik Abasiyanik (1906-1954), perhaps Turkey’s greatest short story writer. Freely co-translated a selection of Sait Faik’s stories, published in English as “A Useless Man” (Archipelago). Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get (English and Turkish) transcripts of every interview, transcripts of the entire archive, access to a 35% discount on over 400 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris, and an archive of over 200 reviews covering Turkish and international fiction, history, journalism and politics.

Caroline Eden on “Black Sea: Dispatches and Recipes – Through Darkness and Light” (Quadrille), a richly illustrated part-cookbook, part-travelogue describing places, people and recipes from the Black Sea coasts of Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria to Istanbul, Trabzon and Rize in Turkey. Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get (English and Turkish) transcripts of every interview, transcripts of the entire archive, and an archive of over 200 reviews covering Turkish and international fiction, history, journalism and politics.

Yigit Akin on “When the War Came Home: The Ottomans’ Great War and the Devastation of an Empire” (Stanford University Press), a richly researched study on the consequences of the First World War on everyday social life across Ottoman territories as the empire collapsed.  Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get (English and Turkish) transcripts of every interview, transcripts of the entire archive, access to a 30% discount on over 200 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris, and an archive of over 200 reviews covering Turkish and international fiction, history, journalism and politics.

Lora Sarı on the life, photography and writing of the late Ara Güler, following the publication of "We Will Live After Babylon" (Aras). The book is a collection of Güler's writings, interspersed with his classic photographs. Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get (English and Turkish) transcripts of every interview, transcripts of the entire archive, access to a 30% discount on over 200 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris, and an archive of over 200 reviews covering Turkish and international fiction, history, journalism and politics.

Alev Scott on "Ottoman Odyssey: Travels Through a Lost Empire" (Riverrun), her travelogue exploring the past and present of Turkey and the former territories of the Ottoman Empire. Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get (English and Turkish) transcripts of every interview, transcripts of the entire archive, access to a 30% discount on over 200 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris, and an archive of over 200 reviews covering Turkish and international fiction, history, journalism and politics.

Avedis Hadjian on his book "Secret Nation: The Hidden Armenians of Turkey" (IB Tauris). Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get full transcripts (in English and Turkish) of every interview upon publication, transcripts of the entire Turkey Book Talk archive, access to a 30% discount on over 200 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris, and an archive of over 200 reviews covering Turkish and international fiction, poetry, history, journalism and politics.

Begüm Adalet on "Hotels and Highways: The Construction of Modernization Theory in Cold War Turkey" (Stanford University Press). Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get full transcripts (in English and Turkish) of every interview upon publication, transcripts of the entire Turkey Book Talk archive, access to a 30% discount on over 200 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris, and an archive of over 200 reviews covering Turkish and international fiction, poetry, history, journalism and politics.

Doğu Eroğlu on "ISIS Networks: Radicalisation, Organisation, Logistics in Turkey” (İletişim), his forensic account of jihadi operations in Turkey and grassroots radicalisation, based on years of on-the-ground reporting. Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get full transcripts (in English and Turkish) of every interview upon publication, transcripts of the entire Turkey Book Talk archive, access to a 30% discount on over 200 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris, and an archive of over 200 reviews covering Turkish and international fiction, poetry, history, journalism and politics.

Sinan Yıldırmaz of Istanbul University on "Politics and the Peasantry in Post-War Turkey" (IB Tauris), examining the transition to a multi-party system after the Second World War and the importance of urban migration in shaping politics up to today. Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get full transcripts (in English and Turkish) of every interview upon publication, transcripts of the entire Turkey Book Talk archive, and access to an exclusive 30% discount on over 200 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris.

Nazlı Alimen on her book "Faith and Fashion in Turkey: Consumption, Politics and Islamic Identity" (IB Tauris). Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get full transcripts (in English and Turkish) of every interview upon publication, transcripts of the entire Turkey Book Talk archive, and access to an exclusive 30% discount on over 200 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris.

Ahmet Erdi Öztürk of Strasbourg University on the past, present and future of the Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet). Öztürk is author of the paper “Turkey’s Diyanet under AKP rule: From protector to imposer of state ideology?” and co-author of “The Diyanet as a Turkish foreign policy tool.” Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get full transcripts (in English and Turkish) of every interview upon publication, transcripts of the entire Turkey Book Talk archive, and access to an exclusive 30% discount on over 200 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris.

Halil Karaveli on “Why Turkey is Authoritarian: From Atatürk to Erdoğan” (Pluto Press). Against the idea that the secularism-Islam divide is the fundamental driver of Turkey’s modern history, Karaveli argues that protecting dominant class interests lies behind authoritarianism in its civilian and military guises. Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get full transcripts (in English and Turkish) of every interview upon publication, transcripts of the entire Turkey Book Talk archive, and access to an exclusive 30% discount on over 200 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris.

Dimitar Bechev of the Atlantic Council on the past and present of Turkey-Russia relations, which he describes as "rich in history, ambivalent and rich in nuance, blending fierce competition with cooperation."  Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get full transcripts (in English and Turkish) of every interview upon publication, transcripts of the entire Turkey Book Talk archive, and access to an exclusive 30% discount on over 200 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris.

Amy Spangler on the life and work of Sevgi Soysal, whose classic 1973 novel "Noontime in Yenişehir" she translated into English. She also discusses co-founding the literary agency AnatoliaLit and her work on "Seher," a collection of stories penned in jail by former HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş. Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get full transcripts (in English and Turkish) of every interview upon publication, transcripts of the entire Turkey Book Talk archive, and access to an exclusive 30% discount on over 200 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris.

Michael Provence of UC San Diego on "The Last Ottoman Generation and the Making of the Modern Middle East" (Cambridge University Press). The book examines both continuities and ruptures in the years during and after the First World War, when the fall of the Ottoman Empire led to seismic shocks across the Middle East. Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get full transcripts (in English and Turkish) of every interview upon publication, transcripts of the entire Turkey Book Talk archive, and access to an exclusive 30% discount on over 200 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris.

Jonathan Varjabedian on “My Dear Son Garabed: Kojaian Family Letters from Efkere/Kayseri to America (1912-1919)” (Histor Press), a remarkable collection of letters sent from the Anatolian village of Efkere between 1912 and 1919. They were sent to Garabed Kojaian and his father Harutian, among the many Ottoman Armenians migrating to America in the early 20th century. Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get full transcripts (in English and Turkish) of every interview upon publication, transcripts of the entire Turkey Book Talk archive, and access to an exclusive 30% discount on over 200 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris.