Books About Modern Turkey

The Yogurt Man Cometh: Tales of an American Teacher in Turkey, by Kevin Revolinski
When I first read Kevin Revolinski’s wonderful memoir, The Yogurt Man Cometh: Tales of an American Teacher in Turkey, I burst out laughing. It was so much like my own experiences in Turkey that I wondered if I had an alter ego. Part travelogue, part memoir, The Yogurt Man Cometh is the story of the author’s year-long adventure as an English teacher in Turkey, with all of its ups and downs and constant surprises. More…

Crescent and Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds, by Stephen Kinzer
As the New York Times bureau chief in Turkey, Stephen Kinzer gathered good information and background for this examination of present-day Turkey’s political and social situation, and for his speculations about the country’s future. More…

The Kemalists: Islamic Revival and the Fate of Secular Turkey, by Muammer Kaylan
You can imagine that the former editor-in-chief of Hürriyet, Turkey’s major newspaper, would know modern Turkey, and Mr Muammer Kaylan certainly does. More…

A Changing Turkey: Challenges to Europe and the United States, by Heinz Kramer 
For most of the time I’ve been involved with Turkey, it was the West’s bulwark against the Soviet Union. After the collapse of Soviet power, the resurgence of Islam, and the election of Islamist-led governments in Turkey, where do we stand? Read this book to find out. More…

A Handbook for Living in Turkey
My friend, former-coauthor and TTP colleague Pat Yale has written the definitive book for those intending to buy a house and live in Turkey. It answers all the questions: buying, restoring, finding and directing workers, buying furnishings, gaining legal residency, opening a bank account, etc. More…