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Ottoman Odyssey: Travels through a Lost Empire
Ottoman Odyssey: Travels through a Lost Empire
hardback | English
Published:
4 October, 2018
Description
Alev Scott's odyssey began when she looked beyond Turkey's borders for contemporary traces of the Ottoman Empire. Their 800-year rule ended a century ago - and yet, travelling through twelve countries from Kosovo to Greece to Palestine, she uncovers a legacy that's vital and relevant; where medieval ethnic diversity meets 21st century nationalism, and displaced people seek new identities.
It's a story of surprises. An acolyte of Erdogan in Christian-majority Serbia confirms the wide-reaching appeal of his authoritarian leadership. A Druze warlord explains the secretive religious faction in the heart of the Middle East. The palimpsest-like streets of Jerusalem's Old Town hint at the Ottoman co-existence of Muslims and Jews. And in Turkish Cyprus Alev Scott rediscovers a childhood home. In every community, history is present as a dynamic force.
Faced by questions of exile, diaspora and collective memory, Alev Scott searches for answers from the cafes of Beirut to the refugee camps of Lesbos. She uncovers in Erdogan's nouveau-Ottoman Turkey a version of the nostalgic utopias sold to disillusioned voters in Europe and the U.S. And yet - as she relates with compassion, insight and humour - diversity is the enduring, endangered heart of this fascinating region.
More Details
| Type | Book |
|---|---|
| ISBN13 | 9781784293215 |
| ISBN10 | 1784293210 |
| Number Of Pages | 336 |
| Item Weight | 788 g |
| Publisher / Reseller | riverrun |
| Format | hardback |
Media Reviews
A lovely, lyrical and always insightful account that is as much about the present as the past. A joy from start to finish * Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads *
Beautifully written with clear-eyed judgements and a sharp ear for fascinating anecdote and memorable characters. Exhilarating and often eye-opening, it shows this crucial region of the world from a new perspective. Essential reading for anyone interested in Turkey and its history * Michael Wood *
Alev Scott approaches the crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean by side roads and unfrequented channels. Her book is clear, bright, humane and never disheartened. * James Buchan *
Brilliantly written with a real feel for character, the book is a pleasure to read and an erudite lesson in a fascinating chapter of Modern History. An indispensable addition to our understanding of the Middle East today. * Roger Scruton *
Author's Bio
Alev Scott was born in London in 1987 to a Turkish mother and a British father. She studied Classics at Oxford before working in London as an assistant director in theatre and opera. In 2011 she moved to Istanbul, where she taught Latin at the Bosphorus University. Her first book, Turkish Awakening, was published in 2014. Alev writes for numerous publications, including the Guardian.