Turkish awakening
William ARMSTRONG - william.armstrong@hdn.com.tr
‘Turkish Awakening’ by Alev Scott (Faber, 336 pages, £15)
Ten or 15 years ago, a title like this probably wouldn’t have appeared. The idea of Faber publishing a book on Turkey for a general audience only makes sense after a decade during which the country has steadily risen in international visibility, and is now the focus of considerable political, economic and cultural attention. Alev Scott is a British Turk whose heritage drew her back to Istanbul after graduating from university in 2009. Observing both from the sidelines and from within, her broad stated intention in “Turkish Awakening” is “to understand what it means to be Turkish.” Tackling such a knotty country is difficult in 300 pages, but Scott is an engaging guide; the outsider should find something to hold their attention on every page, and even the more wizened Turkey-watcher should find plenty of food for thought.
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