Rating: 
Summary: Yum yum!
Review: A remarkable history of a very popular bird. Of all the foul fowl, the turkey offers a veritable vade-mecum of ornithological gastronomie. Mr. Lewis is to be thanked for this seminal contribution, his large ear lobes, and other legumes.
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Summary: A neglect of the dark side
Review: A review of the birth of Turkey without the dark side. Scant or no attention paid to the annihilation of the Armenians (which continued under Ataturk), the widespread massacre of the Greeks of north and western Turkey and the unprecedented oppression of the Kurds.It is like writing a history of the Soviet Union without mentioning the Gulag and the Siberian concentration camps. Or writing a history of the Third Reich without mentioning the holocaust.
Rating: 
Summary: Ran out of gas before the car exploded!
Review: As a man who has spent his entire life watching thoroughbreds in the comfort of his perky, yet comfortable East German security banklet, I must confess that am I in no way whatsoever qualified to write a review of this book. Or any other, for that matter. Nonetheless, after skimming through the acknowledgments in Mr. Lewis's light and weighty tome, and seeing the awe-inspiringing, catatonia-inducing list of people with whom he has crossed passed with during the course of his illustrious career, I was tempted to simply return the book to its proper place in the book store, and move on with my life, as if I had never seen it in the first place. Dear readers, you'll be happy to know I didn't. I left it in the bathroom, with all the other perishable goods in this celebrated Zimmer. Where it belongs! Don't believe the hype.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent recollection of Turkish history
Review: B.Lewis is an excellent writer who captures fundemental truths of the history of the Turkish republic and its emergence.Despite that the book has many facts and details it is written in a way that makes it fascinating to read.It is recommeneded for anybody who has interest in Turkish history.
Rating: 
Summary: Bernard Lewis knows Turkey
Review: Bernard Lewis is an expert on Turkish/Ottoman history. The background of turkish history lies in the Ottoman empire and beginning from 1800 all the bases of ideas that Turkish Republic is based on flourished and evolved in Istanbul and in European cities. Since in Turkey I have learnt "propagandist" history and one-man show of Ataturk I have increased my perspective on Turkish history with this book. Lacking are what happened to minorities of Anatolia and the harshness of realities about that them. Anatolia was their land too. Their story has not been told.
Rating:
Summary: Very Informative.
Review: Bernard Lewis offers a valuable survey of the history of modern Turkey. The first half of the book is a chronological discussion of the social and political events leading to the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of Turkish nationalism. The second half of the book is a more in depth analysis of the key intellectual and political figures who worked both for and against the consolidation of power among the adherents of the C.U.P. Bernard Lewis does not limit his study strictly to the historical issues; he discusses some of the important European missunderstandings that guided policymakers in the Near East. He also elaborates on diplomatic factors that affected commercial relations between the West and East; the history of the European "capitulations" in Istanbul, for example, is touched upon. Where the book really shines, however, is in the second half where Dr. Lewis introduces the western reader to the Turkish periodicals, philosophical tracts and political pamphlets current in the 19th and early 20th cnetury; Dr. Lewis also explores the evolution of modern Turkish in a way that makes it accessible to those unfamiliar with the language -- stressing how important irredentism was in the propaganda of the revolution. The poetry and literature of the elite is contrasted with the language that was spoken by the average Turkish citizenry; a great deal of the rhetoric used by the Ottoman officials and even by the early activists of the Young Turk Movement, for example, was incomprhensible to the masses, because of its obsolescent flourishes and subtle illusions which could only be appreciated by the highly educated. The dificiency of the book is that it's subject matter, although not intentionally exclusive, is more geared toward the specialist in Turkish and Near Eastern history. However, those familiar with some of the other historical factors surrounding the topics discussed shouldn't have any problem following the events as they unfold. But the scarcity of maps, and the oblique references to WWI and some of the other social and historical factors happening at the time (both in and outside of Turkey proper), may leave the less prepared reader a bit confused. But as a work of Turkish constitutional and intellectual history, and as an overview of the stunning accomplishments of Attaturk and his peers, it is an extremely rewarding read.
Rating:
Summary: A clearly-written analysis of Turkey since 1800
Review: Bernard Lewis' books stand like a beacon in the great sea of dull academic literature on the Middle East. They're readable, thorough, focused, and non-judgemental, and most of them have already become classics. Lewis' "The Emergence of Modern Turkey" is usually regarded as the standard book on the subject. It came out in 1960 and has been in print for forty years. This is the updated third edition. The book is divided into two parts. Part I ("The Stage of Emergence") is a straight-forward narrative of politics in the Turkish "heartland" (i.e., Turkey proper) from the 18th century to the Kemalist republic. The chapters are ordered chronologically, such as "The Impact of the West" (early 19th century), "The Ottoman Reform" (c. 1850 - c. 1890), etc. Part II ("Aspects of Change") is organized thematically and addresses social themes alongside political ones. "Community and Nation", "Religion and Government," and "Elite and Class" are especially good. Here, Lewis analyses minority experiences and the impact of ideas, such as Pan-Islamism, laicism, and Ottomanism. Lewis does relegate the Ottoman imperial lands to the sidelines, but, after all, this is a history of Turkey, not a history of the empire. The book has a few drawbacks. First, as a reviewer below objected -- reasonably, I think -- Lewis doesn't say much about the Armenian genocides of 1894-96, 1906, and 1915. None of them get more than a paragraph's mention, in fact. While, like most recent historians of the Middle East, Lewis tries to accentuate the positive asoects of Turkish/Ottoman history -- which is certainly commendable -- there's no excuse for ignoring that history's darker side. All in all, though, this is a classic. Lewis' other great books also are worth finding, especially his acclaimed "The Jews of Islam" and "The Muslim Discovery of Europe."
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Summary: Dont listen to Robert Marzian
Review: First of all the book is written, told, and presented beautifully. Many of the reviewers see that also, except a certain Robert Marzian. I am a person that has done research on different languages and have seen certain traits in names that automatically trace an individual to the country their from or are related to.
In Armenia, many of the people have the suffix -ian at the end of their names/last names. And surprise! No wonder mr marzIAN hates this book :)
Please people, read a book and judge it objectivly! As for you mr Marzian, you need to stop being RACIST!
Rating:
Summary: Very well-written book. Detailed scientific representation.
Review: Lewis scientifically presents historical facts in an objective way. There are numerious references that are used. This book gives a flavor almost like a Ph.D. dissertation. The infrastructure of Ottoman Empire is discussed and scrutinized in detail. This is a book for who would like to know the historic facts behind the modern Turkey and understand its roots.
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Summary: wonder new perspective of Turkish Republic
Review: Thank God, there is some new info on this country. For decades we had to depend on 50's and 60's informations to get a clear picture of creation of Turkey. I liked it a lot. A new window to America's closest ally that is so far away.
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