The Ottoman Empire, 1700-1922 by Donald Quataert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the summer of 1983 school children lined the sidewalks of Vienna to see the museum exhibition as part of the celebration commemorating the 300th anniversary of the 2nd Ottoman siege of Vienna. To today's European general public, 1683 was the year they were saved from the alien Ottoman - the "unspeakable Turks", as they have been typecast.

In reality there is so much presence of the Ottomans in European culture that prompted Prof Donald Quataert (DQ) to write this book. The Prof iterates that at it's zenith, the Ottomans served as a model for qualities Europeans wished to have. Ottoman military and administrators' incorruptibility, discipline and obedience were an inspiration to monarchs, soldiers and statesmen. The Ottomans contributed coffee, tulips and smallpox inoculation. Western Europe and America owe much of their values to the Ottomans.

For me, the reading of a couple of books by Orhan Pamuk stirred my interest in the subject. Interestingly, the author made a special mention of Orhan Pamuk in this book.

The Ottomans led by Othman Ghazi [Ghazi means holy soldier...warrior of the Faith] arose at the turn of 13th century amidst the crumbling Byzantine state. At the same time the Mongols were also messing up in the Middle East thus pushing the nomadic Turks (Turkomans) westward. Their core values are simply pragmatism and flexibility. Their way of life Shamanism (when they later converted to Islam they still practised shaman rituals), economic dependence on animal raising, celebrate personal bravery and considerable freedom and mobility for noble women. However, like their brothers, the Mongols, leadership was by consensus, though democratic (in present term), it can result in fragmentation. Osman was just one of many leaders and he was not even the most powerful. There was so much confusion and disintegration in Anatolia and the Balkan at that time.

Nevertheless, success did not depend on luck alone. As it was with other dynasties, among others, the Ottomans depended on male heirs and women in marriages to consolidate power. Hence, I recall the function of the harem from my reading of the Mughal Empire..... Over the centuries, the locus of political powers would shift from central to the Sultanic household, viziers, pashas etc. and to the street.............

For an empire that stretched across a vast area and for centuries long, I would say that it is has a very complicated history. DQ describes the Ottomans' ruling methods, economy, culture, society and legacies I thought the author has been fair in his writing. I noticed he mentions Cemal Pasha, thats Kemal Ataturk to most of us, just once in the book .............

If the Ottomans had not allied themselves with the Germans during the WW, I wonder how different the ME would be now.


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Silent House by Orhan Pamuk
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Although this is only the second novel of Pamuk I am reading, I am surprised to find that it is a fairly easy read. His style is evident right from the start. The book grips you like no other....

I find that some additional reading on Turkish history helps. My initial thought though has always been that it should decide whether it considers itself Asian or Middle Eastern....or European as it strives to bring itself into modernity.

There are five narrators each exchanging thoughts, experiences, ideas, history, memories and politics as Turkey struggles for modernity.

1. Fatma

A 90 year old bedridden matriach living in a run down mansion in Cennethisar not far from Istanbul. She awaits the coming of her three grandchildren's annual summer visit whence they would then visit the graves of their grandfather and parents.

She was married at 15 to Dr Selahattin whose dabbling in politics cost him his future. They had to move out of Istanbul to the fishing village of Cennethisar and serve the poor fishermen, often not charging them. In his dream to westernise his people, he embarked on writing a 48-volume encyclopedia. In the meantime livelihood depended on whatever piece of jewellery he could make Fatma part with..... Alas, before the writings could be completed, the official national script had been changed to the western alphabet.....

2. Recep

He and his brother, Ismail are Selahattin's illegitimate sons...another reason for Fatma's bitterness towards her husband.

The mother's husband had joined the navy and never returned. Selahattin built a shack for her . One day when he was not home, Fatma went into the shack with her cane ....mother and her two boys were at the end of her cane. Resep grows into a dwarf and serves as a servant in the mansion. Ismail grows with a limp and sells lottery tickets.

3. Faruk

Eldest of three grandchildren of Fatma. Fat and an alcaholic like his father and grandfather. A history teacher and spends a lot of time researching at the archive. One wonders why his wife left him.

4. Metin

Faruk's high school brother whose dream is to go to the US. He persuades his grandmother to sell the mansion. Keeps the company of tbe high class.

I wonder why their sister , Nilgun is not a narrator. She has a communist leaning and I wonder if that might be the reason.....

5. Hasan

He is Ismail's son. Whilst Ismail is always instilling the need to study, Hasan keeps the company of nationalist vigilantes.

Secretly, he has feelings for Nilgun. Like Metin, they seem to be in love with girls of higher class........

I am ok with Finn's translation...... to the point.....


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