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An opinionated but helpful introduction to modern Turkish politics. Plenty of color and interesting anecdotes
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Crescent and Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds
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If Turkey lived up to its potential, it could rule the world - but will it? A passionate report from the front lines
For centuries few terrors were more vivid in the West than fear of "the Turk," and many people still think of Turkey as repressive, wild, and dangerous. Crescent and Star is Stephen Kinzer's compelling report on the truth about this nation of contradictions - poised between Europe and Asia, caught between the glories of its Ottoman past and its hopes for a democratic future, between the dominance of its army and the needs of its civilian citizens, between its secular expectations and its Muslim traditions.
Kinzer vividly describes Turkey's captivating delights as he smokes a water pipe, searches for the ruins of lost civilizations, watches a camel fight, and discovers its greatest poet. But he is also attuned to the political landscape, taking us from Istanbul's elegant cafes to wild mountain outposts on Turkey's eastern borders, while along the way he talks to dissidents and patriots, villagers and cabinet ministers. He reports on political trials and on his own arrest by Turkish soldiers when he was trying to uncover secrets about the army's campaigns against Kurdish guerillas. He explores the nation's hope to join the European Union, the human-rights abuses that have kept it out, and its difficult relations with Kurds, Armenians, and Greeks.
Will this vibrant country, he asks, succeed in becoming a great democratic state? He makes it clear why Turkey is poised to become "the most audacious nation of the twenty-first century."
For centuries few terrors were more vivid in the West than fear of "the Turk," and many people still think of Turkey as repressive, wild, and dangerous. Crescent and Star is Stephen Kinzer's compelling report on the truth about this nation of contradictions - poised between Europe and Asia, caught between the glories of its Ottoman past and its hopes for a democratic future, between the dominance of its army and the needs of its civilian citizens, between its secular expectations and its Muslim traditions.
Kinzer vividly describes Turkey's captivating delights as he smokes a water pipe, searches for the ruins of lost civilizations, watches a camel fight, and discovers its greatest poet. But he is also attuned to the political landscape, taking us from Istanbul's elegant cafes to wild mountain outposts on Turkey's eastern borders, while along the way he talks to dissidents and patriots, villagers and cabinet ministers. He reports on political trials and on his own arrest by Turkish soldiers when he was trying to uncover secrets about the army's campaigns against Kurdish guerillas. He explores the nation's hope to join the European Union, the human-rights abuses that have kept it out, and its difficult relations with Kurds, Armenians, and Greeks.
Will this vibrant country, he asks, succeed in becoming a great democratic state? He makes it clear why Turkey is poised to become "the most audacious nation of the twenty-first century."
272 pages, Paperback
First published September 22,2001
This edition
- Format
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272 pages, Paperback
- Published
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September 4, 2002 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
- ISBN
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9780374528669
- ASIN
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0374528667
- Language
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English
About the author
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Stephen Kinzer is an award-winning foreign correspondent who has covered more than 50 countries on five continents. His articles and books have led the Washington Post to place him "among the best in popular foreign policy storytelling." (source)
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Rating(4.1 / 5.0, 100 votes)
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a must read if you're interested in learning more about modern day Turkey and how it came to be
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Crescent and Star is probably a bit basic for anyone who's familiar with Turkish politics and 20th century history, but I found it a great sub-250 page introduction. It focuses almost exclusively on the Turkish Republic and its people, from Ataturk to the present, but not at all in chronological order. I don't know how objective this book is, as the author, a American journalist, spends plenty of words criticizing (berating?) the military and its omnipresent role in government. But you might, too, if the police interrogated you for 24 hours merely for driving around and asking questions about Kurds. Ultimately, this book helped me understand just how unique Turkey is. Geographically, politically, historically, etc., there's nowhere else like it.
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Another really good book by Kinzer. Though not as exciting and engaging as "All The Shah's Men", it is still very interesting and informative.
Turkey is a fascinating country stuck between two worlds and Kinzer does a great job of relaying the history and culture of the only Islamic European nation. The political structure in Turkey is very unique and Kinzer skillfully explains the history and the ideology behind it. The chapters on Kemal Ataturk and on Turkey's tumultuous relationship with Greece are particularly interesting.
A great book for anyone curious about this little known country which may end up wielding increasing influence in world politics.
Turkey is a fascinating country stuck between two worlds and Kinzer does a great job of relaying the history and culture of the only Islamic European nation. The political structure in Turkey is very unique and Kinzer skillfully explains the history and the ideology behind it. The chapters on Kemal Ataturk and on Turkey's tumultuous relationship with Greece are particularly interesting.
A great book for anyone curious about this little known country which may end up wielding increasing influence in world politics.
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This book provides a look at some of the struggles of modern Turkey and some of the history that preceded them. I'd give it one more star, but recent history (the book was published in 2008) shows that the book's hopeful tone is overdone, and left me wanting an update from Kinzer. Luckily, Kinzer is a journalist, and still writes commentary on Turkey, so I suppose I can just google some newer material.
Overall, this book provided good insights to the Republic's founding under Kemal Ataturk, and provided lots of more recent history about repressive military regimes, old-line politicians, and certain ethnic conundrums plaguing the modern state. The most intriguing bit is the speculation about how far Erdogan and the AKP will allow their populist Islamic leanings to erode the Kemalist ideal of secularism (a drama whose answer seems increasingly apparent every year. )
It's apparent that Kinzer loves Turkey, despite its treatment of him (as a 'subversive' journalist), and it shows through in the anecdotes that close every chapter. This book is recommended for anyone wanting an opinionated and experiential history of Turkey until about 2007, or is looking to understand the roots of some of the current issues. Just remember that some of the shine has tarnished since the book was published.
Overall, this book provided good insights to the Republic's founding under Kemal Ataturk, and provided lots of more recent history about repressive military regimes, old-line politicians, and certain ethnic conundrums plaguing the modern state. The most intriguing bit is the speculation about how far Erdogan and the AKP will allow their populist Islamic leanings to erode the Kemalist ideal of secularism (a drama whose answer seems increasingly apparent every year. )
It's apparent that Kinzer loves Turkey, despite its treatment of him (as a 'subversive' journalist), and it shows through in the anecdotes that close every chapter. This book is recommended for anyone wanting an opinionated and experiential history of Turkey until about 2007, or is looking to understand the roots of some of the current issues. Just remember that some of the shine has tarnished since the book was published.
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I thought this was an interesting book. It was a little difficult to follow at times because the author doesn't always lay things out in chronological order, but I liked some of the author's personal stories. I thought some of the judgements made by the author were biased towards the liberal side (in terms of America) but maybe that is just popular opinion in Turkey.
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I picked this up based on the recommendations of Goodreads users. I was hoping for a good history of modern Turkey, and instead found a journalistic sketch of the country. I was not impressed. Bouncing around between history, contemporary politics (circa early 2001), and light observations of Turkish life, Kinzer spends a good deal of time scolding the Turks for failing to fully embrace democracy. The word "should" appears prominently in each chapter, and I found this to be both distasteful and naive. Kinzer only seems to have brushed the surface of his subject, despite many years of experience in and a professed love for the country. If he's going to be prescriptive, I'd like to see more depth to his analysis and a more nuanced recommendation for action.
I still want a good history of modern Turkey. Any recommendations out there?
I still want a good history of modern Turkey. Any recommendations out there?
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A quick read, probably good for someone like me who knows very little about Turkey's recent history. The travelog-esque interludes were a nice touch.
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