Pamphylian Turkey: Book Suggestions

Here are some suggestions for books, biographies, and travel guides should you wish to read up on Turkey, Turkish history, and the area’s archaeology, before your historical holiday and cultural tour. There’s a section specific to Pamphylia along with books on the Ottomans and Istanbul. The books are in no particular recommended order. This list of books is not required reading!

UK visitors interested in purchasing these books, may click on the main title or picture links.
US visitors wishing to buy, please click on ‘In USA’

Ancient Pamphylia

The Cities of Pamphylia IN USA John D Grainger. 2009

Turkey’s Southern Shore IN USA George E Bean - as above. 1968

Alexander’s Path: from Caria to Cilicia In USA Freya Stark - as above, with the epic warrior & hero as her focal point. 1958

Ancient Turkey/history general

The Blue Guide Turkey IN USA Bernard McDonagh - the most comprehensive & detailed guide to all its historic sites. 2001

Traveller’s History of Turkey IN USA Richard Stoneman. Anthology of travellers’ accounts. 1993

Classical Anatolia: The Glory of Hellenism IN USA Harry Brewster. 1993

Ancient Turkey: A Traveller’s History of Anatolia IN USA Seton Lloyd, University of California Press. 1989

Greek & Roman Architecture IN USA RA Tomlinson - a pretty good intro. 1995

Ottoman history

Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire IN USA Jason Goodwin Highly readable overview. 1998

The Ottomans IN USA Andrew Wheatcroft. 1996

The Ottoman Centuries IN USA Lord Kinross. 1979

The Ottoman Turks: An Introductory History to 1923 IN USA Justin McCarthy. 1997

Constantinople/Istanbul

The Blue Guide: Istanbul IN USA is the best guidebook to Istanbul, and is filled with concise information about all the visible historical monuments of every period.

A Hedonist’s guide to...Istanbul IN USA Nick Hackworth - a fanstastic insider’s guide for sophisticated travellers.

Constantinople: City of the World’s Desire 1453-1924 IN USA Philip Mansel - is a colourful, informative and truly great read.

Istanbul: the Imperial City IN USA John Freely - is a fascinating broad-brush biography of one of the world’s greatest cities.

Strolling Through Istanbul: The Classic Guide to the City IN USA John Freely and Hilary Sumner-Boyd - is an excellent read.

Istanbul: The Collected Traveller An Inspired Companion Guide IN USA Barrie Kerper - A unique guide combining facinating articles from a wide range of writers, woven together with the editor’s own brilliant advice and opinions.

Constantinople: City of the World’s Desire, 1453-1924 IN USA Philip Mansel - a colourful, informative, & truly great read. 1995

Turkey general

Tales from the expat harem IN USA Anastasia Ashman, Jennifer Gokmen 2006

Sons of the Conquerors: the rise of the Turkic world IN USA Hugh Pope 2005

Crescent and Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds IN USA Stephen Kinzer - fascinating look at Turkey now and tomorrow. 2001

Turkish Delights IN USA Philippa Scott - captures its romance and magic, from turbans & tulips, to harems & hamams. 2001

Ataturk - The Rebirth of a Nation IN USA Lord Kinross - the classic biography of Turkey’s founding father. 1964

Ataturk: The Biography of the Founder of Modern Turkey IN USA Andrew Mango - latest excellent bio. 2001

The Turks Today IN USA Andrew Mango. 2004

A Fez of the Heart: Travels around Turkey in search of a hat IN USA Jeremy Seal - witty portrait of modern Turkey. 1995

Turkish Reflections: A biography of a place IN USA Mary Lee Settle. 1992

Journey to Kars: a Modern Traveller in the Ottoman Lands Philip Glazebrook. 1984

On horseback through Asia Minor IN USA Captain Fred Burnaby. 1877

Within the Taurus: A Journey in Asiatic Turkey IN USA Lord Kinross. 1955

The Innocents Abroad IN USA Mark Twain - Twain’s classic account of his travels around the Mediterranean. 1869

Dinner of Herbs IN USA Carla Grissmann - portrait of an isolated hamlet in central Anatolia. 2001

Portrait of a Turkish Family IN USA Irfan Orga. 1950

The Turkish people IN USA Lucy M. Garnett. 2004

World Food: Turkey IN USA Lonely Planet - a great little guide to Turkey’s taste sensations. 2000

Eat Smart in Turkey IN USA Joan and David Peterson. 1999

Turkey guide books

Turkey (Eyewitness travel guides) IN USA Suzanne Swan 2008

Turkey: Lonely Planet IN USA Verity Campbell 2007

The Rough Guide to Turkey IN USA Rosie Ayliffe 2007

Turkish Odyssey: A Cultural Guide to Turkey IN USA Serif Yenen 2003

Frommer’s Turkey IN USA Lynn Levine 2008

Novels

Memed, My Hawk IN USA Yashar Kemal - a wonderful novel by one of Turkey’s finest writers. 1961

Birds without wings IN USA Louis de Bernieres - story of a village, Kayakoy, in the dying days of the Ottoman Empire. 2004

The most celebrated novelist in Turkey at the moment is Orhan Pamuk - you might like to consider one his recent ‘classics’ such as My Name is Red IN USA or The Black Book IN USA

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