2007-03-17

Istanbul: Memories and the City by Orhan Pamuk (2005)

This very personal memoirs with superb black and white photos bring the child and teen years of the author into life, as reflected on the history and places of Istanbul. The upper class family of the author has its fortunes come and go, and so do Istanbul's, which transitioning from being the center of the Ottoman empire into a capitalist/commercial center of Turkey. Unfortunately the city also lost its non-turkish population, losing their traditions and way of life in the process. There is a community melancholy in place, as signified by the fact that there is a special word "hüzün" used to describe it. An excellent window into the life of all Îstanbullus of a bygone era. A pleasure to read.

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