Book Description
INTRODUCTION
Turkey is a country with a multiple identity, poised uneasily between East and West - though, despite the tourist brochure cliche, it is less a bridge between the two than a battleground, a buffer zone whose various parts have long been fought over from both directions. The country is now keen to be accepted on equal terms by the West, having long been the only NATO member in the Middle East region and, as of December 1999, officially promoted to EU candidacy status. But it is by no stretch of the imagination a Western nation, and the contradictions - and fascinations - persist. Mosques coexist with Orthodox churches; remnants of the Roman Empire crumble alongside ancient Hittite sites; and, despite the fact that Turkey is now a secular state, the country's heritage as home to the city of the caliphate and numerous dervish orders, plus contemporary Muslim fundamentalist movements, points its moral compass consistently south and east rather than northwest.
Politically, modern Turkey was a bold experiment, founded on the remaining, Anatolian kernel of the Ottoman Empire, once among the world's largest, and longest-lasting, imperial states. The country arose out of the defeat of World War I, almost entirely the creation of a single man of demonic energy and vision - Kemal Ataturk. The Turkish war of independence, fought against those victorious Allies intending to pursue imperialistic designs on Ottoman territory, has (with slightly stretched analogy - Turkey was never a colony) long been seen as the prototype for all Third World wars of liberation in this century. It led to an explicitly secular republic, though one in which almost all of the inhabitants are at least nominally Muslim (predominantly Sunni).
Turks, except for a small minority in the southeast, are not Arabs, and loathe being mistaken for them; despite a heavy lacing of Persian and Arabic words, the Turkish language alone, unrelated to any neighbouring one, is sufficient to set its speakers apart. The population is, however, in spite of official efforts to enforce uniformity, ethnically remarkably heterogeneous. When the Ottoman Empire imploded early this century, large numbers of Muslim Slavs, Kurds, Greeks, Albanians, Crimean Tatars, Azeris, Daghestanlis, Akhazians and Circassians - to name only the largest non-Turkic groups - streamed into the modern territory, the safest refuge in an age of anti-Ottoman nationalism. This process has continued in recent years from formerly Soviet or Eastern Bloc territories (including even a few Christian Turks or Gaugaz from Moldavia), so that the diversity of the people endures, constituting one of the surprises of travel in Turkey.
It's a vast country - France would fit within its boundaries with plenty of room to spare - incorporating characteristics of Middle Eastern and Aegean, as well as Balkan and trans-Caucasian, countries. There are equally large disparities in levels of development. Astanbul boasts clubs as expensive and exclusive as any in New York or London, yet in the chronically backward eastern interior you'll encounter standards and modes of living scarcely changed from a century ago - an intolerable gap in a society aspiring to full EU membership and other accoutrements of Westernization. Governments have sporadically attempted to address the anomalies over recent years, and the 1995-approved customs union with the EU has resulted in a flood of European imports, but it's debatable whether the modernization process begun during the late nineteenth century has struck deep roots in the culture, or is doomed to remain a veneer, typified by a mobile-phone- and credit-card-equipped urban elite.
But one of the things that makes Turkey such a rewarding place to travel is the Turkish people, whose reputation for friendliness and hospitality is richly deserved; indeed you risk causing offence by refusing to partake of it, and any transaction can be the springboard for further acquaintance. Close to the bigger resorts or tourist attractions, much of this is undoubtedly mercenary, but in most of the country the warmth and generosity is genuine - all the more amazing when recent Turkish history has demonstrated that outsiders usually only bring trouble in their wake.
Turkey has been continuously inhabited and fought over for close on ten millennia, as the layer-cake arrangement of many archeological sites and the numerous fortified heights, encrusted with each era's contribution, testify. The juxtaposed ancient monuments mirror the bewildering succession of states - Hittite, Urartian, Phrygian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Armeno-Georgian - that held sway here before the twelfth century. There is also, of course, an overwhelming number of graceful Islamic monuments dating from the eleventh century onwards, as well as magnificent city bazaars, still holding their own despite the encroachments of chain stores and suburban shopping malls. The country's modern architecture is less pleasing, the consequence both of government policy since 1950 and of returned overseas workers eager to invest their earnings in real estate - an ugliness also manifest at the coastal resorts, where the beaches are rarely as good as the tourist-board hype. Indeed it's inland Turkey - Asiatic expanses of mountain, steppe, lake, even cloud forest - that may leave a more vivid memory, especially when accented by some crumbling kervansaray, mosque or castle.
Customer Reviews:
do not rely on this book.......2007-08-30
Do not rely on this book. Despite the 2007 copyright, it is way, way out of date and will seriously harm your trip. It certainly harmed out trip.
1) Prices are way off--not just by 10 or 20% but by hundreds of per cent. For example, things listed as $20 sometimes cost $50.
2) The list of hotels is way out of date for every place we went. Some hotels had actually gone out of business years prior to 2007, which is this book's copyright. If you are considering a trip later than 2007, this problem will be still worse. This was true in Marmaris and Bergama and probably many other places.
3) Maps were wrong. Not just inaccurate, but wrong. For example, the location in Marmaris of the ferry to Rhodes was wrong. This was disastrous for us, possibly causing us to miss the ferry. Also, the streets on the map were labelled with names while the actual street signs used numbers instead of names. This may have been due to a renaming of the streets prior to 2007, and the book's map should have reflected the what the signs say.
4) Schedules were wrong. For example, the dolmuses to Troy do NOT leave every 20 minutes as the book says, but every hour, even during peak season.
5) The index is quite incomplete. You should be able to look up a name of a museum, for example in the index and find it in seconds. However, with such an incomplete index, finding information in the book can be a lengthly project--difficult on a busy street corner.
I certainly hope they fix this book, but in its present state it should be avoided--there are other books on travelling in Turkey to use in the meantime.
Very disappointing - Not Recommended.......2007-07-18
This is a review of the latest (2007) edition of this book.
This was a difficult review for me to write since I have been a fan of "Rough Guides" (and before that, "Real Guides") for some time. While it is a so-so catalog of sights, restaurants, and bars (although disorganized, as others have pointed out), the book is listless and oddly detached in its discussion of Turkey. A quick read of the "basics" can easily convince the reader that it is very difficult to obtain a coffee in Istanbul, the tap water is akin to sewage ("orange"), and a glass of wine? Forget it, the fundamentalists have taken over. Sounds like great fun, eh? Of course all the aforementioned observations are totally untrue. I found the book depressing and sour in tone, if not misleading. Indeed, the book addresses the reader as if he or she were planning a trip to a far off prison farm. For alternatives, try A Hedonist's Guide to Istanbul by Nick Hackworth or the Lonely Planet guide. Although not perfect, both will instill you with the excitement and awe that Turkey can (and does) inspire.
The last Rough Guide I will buy.......2007-05-22
I found the Rough Guide to Turkey extremely frustrating. It is the most poorly organized travel book I have used. Even good information, if poorly organized, becomes useless. I found myself frequently having to piece together information from 3 or 4 different sections to decipher anything useful.
Transportation information: useless.
Accommodation listing: mixed. Of two hotels marked with their highest recommendation, one was very good, the other the worst we stayed in. After that we stopped using the book's suggestions, and just asked other travelers.
Historical information: good, concise, interesting.
Site and activity information: incomplete or incorrect.
We were traveling independently by public transportation for 9 days throughout northern and western Turkey. Whenever I saw another traveler with a different guide book, I begged to borrow it. My Rough Guide ended up in the trash can.
The best guide book possible.......2003-05-20
The Rough Guide to Turkey is extremely comprehensive and fun. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in Turkey, not only to those who will be visiting.
Comprehensive, opinionated, and sensible.......2003-02-15
I used this book for a driving trip along the western and southern coasts, beginning in Istanbul, remaining west of Ankara, and concluding in Antalya.
I was impressed with this book. I found its lodging and restaurant recommendations quite useful and reliable, though they are not as low-budget as, say, Let's Go. However, Turkey is so inexpensive that even the budget-conscious need not stay or eat at the cheapest places. I like the fact that lodging recommendations are located on clear maps with numbers keyed to the text--this simple thing is often absent in guides to Turkey, and what a pain when you're constantly in new places! Nightlife is covered, as is the nearest post office and local travel agency for that last-minute flight back to Istanbul that you were sure you wouldn't need because you would be driving back yourself.
Contemporary, historical, and archaelogical information is surprisingly detailed and plentiful. When the authors do not like something, they can be stinging. While some might find this approach annoying (it is very English), I buy a travel book for its opinions, so long as these opinions are based on real knowledge.
In sum, if you were to take only one travel book to Turkey, and if you wanted to cover major parts of the country, this Rough Guide would be ideal. Add a Blue Guide Turkey, a couple of really good atlases, and perhaps a book devoted to Istanbul, and you should be set.
Book Description
Experienced and first-time travelers alike rely on Fodor's Gold Guides for rich, reliable coverage the world over. Smart travel tips and important contact info make planning your trip a breeze, and detailed coverage of sights, accommodations, and restaurants give you the info you need to make your experience enriching and hassle-free. If you only have room for one guide, this is the one for you.
The best guide to Turkey, packed with essentials
Great walks through Istanbul's winding streets
Visits to Lycian, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine sites, Ottoman palaces and Cappadocia's rock-carved villages
Dramatic Black Sea shores, unspoiled Mediterranean beaches, gulet cruises on the Aegean
Where to stay and eat, no matter what your budget
Luxurious resorts, palatial hotels, antiques-filled guest houses, historic caravansaries, family-run pansiyons
Romantic waterfront bistros, authentic kebab stands, popular local cafés, hilltop restaurants with panoramic views
Fresh, thorough, practical -- off and on the beaten path
Costs, hours, descriptions, and tips by the thousands
All reviews based on visits by savvy writer-residents
24 pages of maps -- and dozens of great features
Important contacts, smart travel tips
Fodor's Choice
What's Where
Pleasures & Pastimes
Festivals
Turkish Vocabulary
Complete index
Customer Reviews:
Watch out for inaccuracies!.......1999-10-27
On a recent trip to Istanbul, we found many inaccuracies in the maps and other information. Many destination names were misspelled. Our impression was that the guide was written by someone who knew even less about Turkey and the Turkish people than we did.
Average customer rating:
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Advances in Information Systems: 4th International Conference, ADVIS 2006, Izmir, Turkey, October 18-20, 2006 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science)
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Computer Science
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ASIN: 3540462910 |
Book Description
This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Advances in Information Systems, ADVIS 2006, held in Izmir, Turkey in October 2006.
The 38 revised full papers presented together with 4 invited lectures were carefully reviewed and selected from 120 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on information representation and exchange, databases and datawarehouses, semantic web and ontologies, data mining and knowledge discovery, information retrieval and knowledge representation, architecture of information systems, as well as distributed and wireless information systems.
Average customer rating:
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Advances in Multimedia Information Systems: 4th International Workshop, MIS'98, Istanbul, Turkey September 24-26, 1998, Proceedings (Lecture Notes in Computer Science)
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Website Architecture & Usability
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| Number Systems
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ASIN: 3540651071 |
Book Description
This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 4th International Workshop on Multimedia Information Systems, MIS'98, held in Istanbul, Turkey, in September 1998.The book presents 13 revised full papers together with six short papers and two abstracts of invited talks. Among the topics addressed are multimedia storage system design, image storage and retrieval, quality of service considerations, networking support for multimedia information systems, distributed virtual environments, and multimedia system architecture issues.
Customer Reviews:
Unfortunately the "truth" hurts those who try to distort it........1999-04-22
This book is evidently written by someone who identifies with 200,000 ethnically cleansed indigenous Cypriots ( i.e. The Greeks )and the 6,000 victims of Turkey's War aginst "little" Cyprus in 1974. The book casts new light on Turkish Government education and the policies and ideas apparently fuelling Turkish Nationalism and it's consequences for Christian minority peoples especially.. Cyprus was a Cold -War "prize" offered to Turkey by the United States to ensure it's continued support against the Soviet Union..And to simultaneously appease the always rampant Turkish nationalism that pervades Turkish culture and politics. This book leads one to conclude that if the major Orthodox Powers bridge the gap militarily with Turkey then military force will ultimately settle the Cyprus,Kurdish and Armenian Questions; given the much reduced strategic value of Turkey to the West , despite the Caspian Oil Fields. It is sad that small countries are often mere pawns of big power "ego" games which try all-to-often to sooth the fanatical and often murderous nationalisms of their people....inorder to gain political favor with them....
stereotypes and propaganda.......1999-04-07
There is a need for more literature on ethnic minorities in Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus. Unfortunately this book is heavily biased and doesn't really help the reader understand the issues. The author completely ignores the slaughter and ethnic cleansing of thousands of Turkish Cypriots by Greek government-supported EOKA guerillas in the 50's, 60's and 70's. He relies on one-dimensional stereotypes to describe the Turks and their involvement in Cyprus. It is also disappointing that Amazon.com did not choose an objective reader to review this book.
A TOTALLY BIASED APPROACH.......1999-01-29
Dr. Ioannides's book totally disregard the main fact behind the Turkish Government's decision and turns out to be a book against the muslim part of the world.He disregard that in existence of a conflict there is two part for it. Would be better if written again by objectively explaining more in depth what was the politics of the Greece during 169 through 1974 and also including the currant development in Eagean Sea in 1997, Greece Army trying to take over the Cos island by using the priests and innocent animals!!
Thorough and Well-Balanced Synopsis of Cyprus Issue........1998-02-19
Ioannides manages to transcend Greek and Turkish perspectives to present a well-documented, comprehensive and insightful "big picture" of the events and movements which precipitated the Cyprus tragedy as well as the forces now driving the de-Hellenization and comcomitant Turkification of the island. The book is notable for its departure from the US State Department's official line on Cyprus, and avoids confusing the geopolitical realities and ideological drives which led to the Turkish invasion of the island with the pretexts and myths of ethnic protection offered by Ankara and its occupation regime. A "must read" for students of the Cyprus conflict who seek a more genuine examination of the issues than that offered by mainstream U.S. media and Government sources.
How Turkey colonized Cyprus and terrorized Istanbul Greeks.......1997-10-07
Dr.Ioannides has done an excellent job of documenting in detail and by relying heavily on Turkish as well as other sources, how the government of Turkey has illegally colonized the part of Cyprus which it illegally occupies and how it continues to deny its culpability. Dr. Ioannides has also succeeded in bringing to light how the government of Turkey organized the massive riot against the Greek citizens of Istanbul during the night of 6-7 September, 1955 using Cyprus as a pretext.
Average customer rating:
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1998 Waste Management Problems in Agro Industries
Orhon
Manufacturer: IWA Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0080434118 |
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Turkey, 4th
Dana Facaros , and
Michael Pauls
Manufacturer: Cadogan Guides
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Binding: Paperback
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Istanbul: Memories and the City
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Turkey (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
ASIN: 1860110789 |
Book Description
Cadogan's fully updated guide to Turkey reveals some of the best-kept secrets of this mysterious ancient land. Covering the whole country, from buzzing, lively Istanbul to the weird landscapes and unearthly monuments of the little-known east, Cadogan offers insights into tea etiquette, Byzantine civilization, camel-wrestling and more. Detailed, witty and passionate, this is the definitive guide to a rich and complex country.
This guide contains intelligent, illuminating insights into ancient civilization and the latest culture. You will also find detailed listings and recommendations as well as practical and reliable advice on baths, buses, bazaars, bargaining and much more.
Book Description
In an unusual blend of fiction and nonfiction, A Pioneer Sampler chronicles one year in the lives of the Robinson family. Illustrated historical notes enlarge on the social history and describe activities related to the stories, from churning butter to predicting the weather. Young readers are invited to try their hand at these tasks to experience a bit of pioneer life.
Customer Reviews:
Great , engaging book about pioneer life!.......2003-03-11
I loved this book. I read it before I gave it to my daughter. It is a fictional family, but all the information is true to life. Interspersed with the story of the Robertsons, you can learn how to make your own cheese, dip a candle, or learn to tell the time from the sun.
This book will add to your library, and is a nice complement to Laura Ingalls Wilders books. Homeschooling familys will enjoy it, I know we did.
this is a fanntastic book.......2002-11-23
The Pioneer Sampler
The Pioneer Sampler is a fun and fascinating book. It tells about a pioneer family. Can Nekeek and Willy catch fish by hand? You'll find out. This is a fun book.
I'd give this book a five *...
Experience pioneer life!!!.......2001-07-02
Barbara Greenwood has written a wonderful book that is as much fun for adults to read to children as it is for the children to read themselves. She doesn't just 'tell' about the Robertson's, she 'shows', drawing the reader into their lives...a pleasant place to be. I especially love Granny's story about how she came to America,on a ship, from Scotland.
The book is beautifully illustrated...all the way through...by Heather Collins. The pictures are so well done that, even as an adult, I would like to step into the scene!
There are instructions for simple, fun activities such as growing a potato plant, dyeing fabric using an onion, or making a cardboard jumping jack; pioneer games that will even entertain today's children for hours such as shadow shapes or knucklebones; and recipes that are easy for children.
Reading this book to a child is a great 'stress releaver'...it's like a little escape from the treadmill of life!!!
A wonderful book on pioneer life for children ages 6-14.......2001-05-10
I've read many books on pioneer life, and this is by far the best one for children. The book is about the Robertsons, a fictional family living in the west. While the family is fictional, the material is all drawn from real life.
The story takes you through a year in their lives, each chapter being its own story. After each chapter, the author provides explanatory material, giving detailed information about events and activities from the story. For example, there is a chapter about the children searching for a bee tree in order to find honey. In the explanatory material following the chapter, the author discusses beekeeping, division of labor among the bees, how the honey is actually made and the importance of honey to the early pioneers.
Unlike most books, we found the explanatory material every bit as captivating as the stories. In addition, the author suggests some activities children can do in order to learn more. Yesterday we conducted an experiment to see how the sap in the maple trees resists freezing because of its high sugar content. Today we made butter.
All in all, an excellent book. Thumbs up from [this family]
Excellent teaching resource book!.......1999-05-27
I love using this book in the classroom because of the way it takes each aspect of everyday pioneer living, and provides a non-fiction type short story along with more information about the job, skill, etc., along with an acitivity for the children to do.
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