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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
Turkish history in the English language lacks social and cultural perspective. Most work focuses on Ataturk, the Ottomans, various power struggles between men. This book is a fantastic portrait of Istanbul from 1898 to 1958 and is told in an engaging, thoughtful way. You genuinely feel like you are walking the streets of Istanbul, interacting with the characters. Superb.
Read this in preparation of heading to Istanbul. It provides valuable insight into the Ottoman Empire and path to its journey as a modern secular state. Perhaps most interesting was Istanbul's significance as place of departure for Jews during World War II, which is a topic I have never read about elsewhere.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.5 stars. Interesting book about Istanbul in interwar period. Not what I expected and a little dull in other areas. I wanted a bit more of a cultural than political history, more about the neighborhood or the Pera Palace. Overall, I enjoyed reading it
Quarantine book
Quarantine book
Like the other former capital of the Roman Empire, Rome, Istanbul is a city where history can be found on every street you walk. It sits astride the Golden Horn, the geographic gateway between Europe and Asia, the West and the East, and its history reflects this dichotomy. Yet trying to relate that history can be a rather byzantine task (pardon the pun). However, Mr. King does an excellent job of making Istanbul, and its place in modern history, come alive in this wonderful book. Starting with the decline of the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century and focusing particularly on the northern side of the city, the Pera district, and one hotel in particular located there, the Pera Palace, Mr. King weaves a wonderful tale of the many people who wandered through Istanbul either as new immigrants or exiles on the road to new opportunities. However, Mr. King does not restrict himself solely to Istanbul, but rather puts the city in its historical context as it details the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of Turkey, the large groups of White Russians escaping from the Russian Revolution, the Greek Orthodox, Armenians, and Jews who were pushed out of Turkey by the Kemalist breakneck push towards modernity, and the numerous spies, diplomats, and celebrities that passed through the Pera Palace's doors. As Turkey grapples with modernity, Mr. King reveals the opportunities and perils that were present for people during this time with wonderful detail and great narrative flair. In this one book, Mr. King justifies Istanbul's unofficial title as one of the crossroads of civilization. There was hardly a dull moment in this book. However, the title location, the Pera Palace, was not nearly as prominent in Mr. King's narrative as the book description led me to believe. Still, that is a small gripe against this otherwise fascinating read. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in Istanbul, Turkey, or the Interwar period.
"Midnight at the Pera Palace" is a nonfiction account of some of the most earth shattering events during the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the creation of Turkey as a nation-state. The titular Pera Palace is a massive hotel in the heart of Istanbul and it played the background to many of the events during this turbulent time. Before reading this book, I really didn't know whole lot about the events surrounding the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the creation of Turkey so I was really interested to read this book and understand a little bit more about these events, which didn't only affect Turkey and the city of Istanbul but alos set in motion other events around the world.
This book is the latest release from noted historian Charles King. I have yet to read any of his other books but after reading this one, I know that I I definitely need to go back and read more of his books. I love historical nonfiction but sometimes it can be a little bit boring and you definitely need to be in a certain mood to sit down and really read through it and understand it. This is not the case with this book. King brings this time to life through a lot of great detail and some really interesting topics. Instead of simply covering a chronological order of what actually happened during the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the events after, King works in many different facets of life in Istanbul during the time and is able to include things like art and music. I loved this as a reader as it really brought the city of Istanbul during this time period to life.
All of the historical detail makes me want to hop a plane (and maybe a time machine too) to Istanbul right now. King makes it seem like such it interesting place, truly the crossroads of the world. If you're looking for a historical nonfiction book that will peak your interest in learning more about this monumental time period and you like rich historical detail, this book would be a great pick for you!
This book is the latest release from noted historian Charles King. I have yet to read any of his other books but after reading this one, I know that I I definitely need to go back and read more of his books. I love historical nonfiction but sometimes it can be a little bit boring and you definitely need to be in a certain mood to sit down and really read through it and understand it. This is not the case with this book. King brings this time to life through a lot of great detail and some really interesting topics. Instead of simply covering a chronological order of what actually happened during the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the events after, King works in many different facets of life in Istanbul during the time and is able to include things like art and music. I loved this as a reader as it really brought the city of Istanbul during this time period to life.
All of the historical detail makes me want to hop a plane (and maybe a time machine too) to Istanbul right now. King makes it seem like such it interesting place, truly the crossroads of the world. If you're looking for a historical nonfiction book that will peak your interest in learning more about this monumental time period and you like rich historical detail, this book would be a great pick for you!
A very cool look at a fascinating city. From the gorgeous cover, I thought this book would be a close look at Istanbul in the 1920s, but it’s so much more. The narrative spans the first and second world wars, including all the regional politics. As an archaeologist, I loved the section on the Hagia Sophia the most.