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Midnight At The Pera Palace: The Birth Of Modern Istanbul (2014)

by Charles King(Favorite Author)

4.02 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0393089142 (ISBN13: 9780393089141)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

W. W. Norton & Company

review 1: European history through the point-of-view of Istanbul.Fascinating history, only reservation is the narrative technique. The author forces himself to look at the city through the idea of the Pera Palace. As the book goes on he frees himself from that device and the story gets rolling.Important history, often reads like a thriller and I left the book excited to learn more.Recommended
review 2: Istanbul. Constantinople. Byzantium. East Rome.Some of the many names of the historic and exotic city that has captured our imagination. The author starts just after World War One with the occupation of the city. It goes from there covering people and places with a small focus on the Pera Palace, a major hotel close to the American and British embassies. You learn about... more how the shift to a secular country affects a city like Istanbul while still being very Muslim. The author covers up through the 1960s but it isn’t truly chronological.It’s an interesting read. I just wish certain parts had been fleshed out more. More pictures as well but history and the nature of photographs limits how well they survive. Fascinating history of Istanbul and how the history of Turkey plays out in one city. Could have had a little more depth, covered more of they architecture and lives of its citizens. A pronunciation guide would have been helpful. And more pictures though time and history prevent that.Overall, a fair read.A recommend less

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