The History of Turkey: (The Greenwood Histories of the Modern Nations)

Rating:
Summary: A good basic history
Review: This is a fine work for a general audience: clear, concise, and to the point. For those preparing for a trip to Turkey, or those who simply want to learn more, this would be a fine place to start. One should not be misled by the title, however. This work does not cover only the Turkish Republic, but considers the history of Anatolia "from time immmemorial" to the present. With such a ambitious agenda, and only two-hundred pages to work with, this makes for a lot of simplifications.

For people with a better knowledge of Turkey, this work will probably be too shallow to be really satisfying. For those who want academic treatment of modern Turkey, Erik Zurcher is still the best available. For those who want a more critical, journalistic treatment of the Turkish Republic, try Hugh and Nicole Pope's Turkey Unveiled.