Turkey - Recommendations please

[FiveShelties]

We are planning a trip to Turkey next year, a country I know nothing about. Could anyone recommend anything they think would be good to read? Fiction or non-fiction, I don't mind which. I usually read UK based crime novels so thought I would try something different.

Five you could look at Elif Shafak's books, I remember enjoying The Flea Palace. There's also Orhan Parmuk, his are mostly literary novels, but I think he's also written a non-fiction one about Istanbul. I also liked Turkish Awakening by Alev Scott, it's non-fiction. She was born in England and decides to go to Turkey to find out more about her family and their history there. It's well-written and quite an easy read - although she covers everything from Turkish culture to politics.

Thank you Dottie, off to Amazon I go.

Five hope you find something you like. I hated The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and The Kite Runner too, so we do share some dislikes. Elif Shafak is on the cusp of being a bit populist, but some of her stuff not bad.

Five just remembered also read Rebel Land: among Turkey's forgotten people by Christopher De Bellaigue. It's about the different groups within Eastern Turkey and the history of the region. It's non-fiction, journalistic but sound and was well-reviewed. Although it also covers fate of Kurds and Armenians so quite sensitive topics, and some controversial aspects of Turkish history. It's also quite downbeat, but found it very interesting. It was shortlisted for an Orwell Prize.

Many thanks Dottie - on the list it goes. I am really looking forward to reading about somewhere and then visiting, but did not just want to read a guide book.

We definitely share some dislikes so I value your recommendations

Ataturk, The Rebirth of a Nation by Patrick Kinross will help you to understand what happened to Turkey after WW1 & how Ataturk bought Turkey into the 20th Century.

It's quite a long read (and expensive to buy) - might be better to borrow it from the library!

If you just want to get a feel for things Turkish & like crime fiction Barbara Nadal's detective novels set in Istanbul with Cetin Ikmen as the lead detective (a great guy!) would be good.

I've been going to Turkey for nearly 20 years & love it (and get exasperated by some of it).

I really envy you that disovery.

PS Don't be tempted by Turkish gin - a couple of them gave me the worst hangover I have ever had. Raki is fine!

I tried, and failed at O Pamuk, but he is popular.

If you like crime books, try the Inspector Ikmen books by Barbara Nadel. They are set in Istanbul (at least the early ones were, I've not read the last 2) and give a lovely insight into life there. Easy to read too. Enjoy Turkey, the people are so friendly, the food is amazing and their cities and beaches great too.

Thank you all so much for the recommendations. My husband loves history and I want to be able to discuss that with him on holiday - over wine and Raki --- NO gin though magi, thanks for the warning.

I think the budget for books will have to increase especially as I live in NZ!!!

You can get British gin there, Gordons, Beefeater etc but you need to specify it.

Thanks magi I will remember that!

Here are collated books set in TURKEY for you - www.tripfiction.com/find-a-book/?location=Turkey&btitle=&bauthor=&genre=Genre... Hope you find something you like! Happy travels!!!

Wow - thanks trip - what a fantstic site.

Get the books on a kindle. I bought them and I lived in Singapore at the time.

There was a very good audio book I listened too (it might be in paper as well) but will have to search for my IPOD for the title. Basically about people both sides of the Bosphorus. A boy with a drone, a couple, she looks for something called a (spelling?) Melomine man (not the right word) but a dead man covered in honey. Priceless apparently. She gets involved in a sting with a detective. I will try to find out the details as I found it really enjoyable.

Birds without Wings, a kind of prequel to Captain Corelli's Mandolin.

Thank you very much - I picked up the Alev Scott one at the library today. I have added the new suggestions to the list and hoping to be an expert by next year!

Forty camel girl and Forty camel guy. Set in Turkey in the 1960s and 1970s, the first told through the eyes of a young American woman.