Ottoman Centuries

Rating:
Summary: an enlightening read
Review: What an excellent book. It reads as easily as a novel, yet provides as much information as a textbook. It is so important, especially in these times for us to do our best to understand the foundations of the Moslem world, and this book is a perfect place to start. It combines a solid historical knowledge with an unbiased standpoint and is the ideal way to break into the history of Central Asia. If I could I would assign it as required reading for all students in thier senior year of high school- the history is not that complicated- it is difficult to understand only because it is unfamiliar to us, which is just unfortunate. As a college student studying Turkish language, I came upon it by mistake- searching for something that would help me to understand the foundations of the civilization in which i am attempting to immerse myself- but it has inspired me to extend my studies beyond the language as much as possible. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in everything from current events to language and history, or even anyone who just enjoys an enthralling and involving book.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating, superb, engrossing
Review: While I love to read, I never read history books because they are usually not written for non-historians. This book is different; it is well written and engaging. It reads more like a suspense novel. For those who have Turkish friends or who are close to Turks (my husband is one) or who are thinking of traveling there, this is a must read. It will help you to understand a lot about their culture and why Turkey is in the way it is now.