Picking crushed pistachio off your kunefe. Watching the fishermen casting their lines into the leaden Bosphorus. Wandering the winding streets of Istanbul or taking a break at the Blue Mosque. Turkey is a country that fascinates many and has undoubtedly found its way into our hearts. And we think the best way to capture its raw beauty (other than eating it’s delicious Turkish food) is through reading Turkey books or novels.
Read on for 6 of our favourite books from Turkish authors (or set in Turkey), to spark your wanderlust and prepare you for a trip to Turkey, the land of hot air balloons, hammams and hazir.
Give these a listen instead, with Audible.
Whether you’re an avid Kindle reader or prefer the feel of pages beneath your fingertips, it’s also worth trying out audiobooks; the perfect way to read all of these books if you’re busy and on the go.
Audible actually offers a free trial Get it here!, or you can take them up on their special offer, which gets you 50% off their membership for 3 months. Get that offer here!.
Skip ahead
Snow – Orhan Pamuk
Pamuk must be Turkey’s most successful author on the global stage, and for good reason. A fascinating writer with spellbinding storytelling, his works are all worth a read but Snow is my favourite, and winner of the 2006 Nobel Prize for literature.
Chronicling the return of Ka, a poet, to his native Istanbul and later Kars (a small town) for his mother’s funeral, the book is set amidst a snowstorm, giving it its name. It’s a beautiful take on politics, love and religion, and the perfect way to discover Pamuk.
Last Train to Istanbul – Ayşe Kulin
Another bestselling Turkish novelist, you’ve probably heard of this book.
It’s a lovely read and has quite a number of characters that I really grew to love and empathized with. Essentially it takes place during World War II and tells the story of two Turkish sisters, Selva and Sabiha, living in Paris who must escape the Nazis.
The Bastard of Istanbul – Elif Shafak
It’s a deliberately shocking title, which reflects the story itself. This colourful story centres around Asya, a young woman (the ‘bastard’) and her extended family. It’s a clash of cultures (American and Turkish), a passionate portrayal of love, of suffering and of gritty yet gorgeous Istanbul. A real page-turner!
Birds Without Wings – Louis de Bernières
He is not Turkish, but author de Bernières really captures the spirit of Turkey and particularly a small (fictional) village going through growing pains in this book.
You might know the writer from Corelli’s Mandolin, which became a Hollywood film, and Birds Without Wings would also lend itself to film, since it’s very visual in its descriptions. It’s a little dense but also has some interesting humour. A must-read, particularly if venturing beyond Istanbul on a visit.
The Janissary Tree – Jason Goodwin
Goodwin studied history at Cambridge and fell in love with Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire, later writing a historical account of it, Lords of the Horizons. But it was when he turned his attention to fiction that he hit the literary jackpot, with The Janissary Tree.
This is the first in a series with the main character, Yashim, a eunuch and a Turkish detective in 19th century Istanbul. The books have been translated into 40 languages, so thousands of readers can’t be wrong!
Portrait of a Turkish Family – Irfan Orga
It might not be fiction but Orga’s autobiography feels almost like a dream. The book follows the author’s life – a privileged boy born into a rich Ottoman family, whose fortunes change over time. It’s melancholic, it’s fascinating and it really showcases the streets of Istanbul. So much so that you have to read it before you go and ensure you visit some of the sights he includes. This one is absolutely unputdownable and rounds out the list of the 6 books you must read before you visit Turkey.
Read next: Here is the ultimate list of must-read travel books, selected by some of the best travel bloggers!
Or check out our suggestions for books about Jordan, the best South African novels or books to read before visiting Brazil!
Want to save it for later? Why not pin it…
