Customer Reviews

Ataturk: A Biography of Mustafa Kemal, Father of Modern Turkey

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Found by chance in a small bookstore this is one of the best books I have ever read. Finely written, it will give you all the detail you need to understand the last days of the Ottoman Empire and the birth of the Turkish Nation. Even if you are not that interested in the subject it will draw you into the fascinating detail of the life of a truly extraordinary man in extraordinary times. Buy it...you will enjoy it without being able to put it away.

Kinross approached this biography in a very unconventional manner, and the gamble paid off. Often historical subjects like Ataturk can reach into the "heavy reading" column with complicated military, social, diplomatic and political explanations. But Kinross gambles by trusting the intelligence of the reader, and depends more on conveying the strong, abrasive character of Ataturk than on the intricit, deeply-calculated broad social mechanics that surrounded him. You will walk away knowing in-depth the end of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of the Turkish Republic while getting a clear insight into the character of Ataturk: his strengths and his shortcomings. As time goes by, it is more and more important to understand Kemalism and the course of secularization and modernization in the East.

The diagrams of the battle-fields on a mile scale were extremely helpful: for those, like me, who aren't adept at reading and understanding military strategies, Kinross gives you an introductory course. For the first time, I felt like I actually *knew* what happened in some important battles.

It is not common that you find an objective and well written biography of a great personality. Kinross shows great skill in in showing the strengths and weaknesses of Ataturk and the reforms accomplished by him with that eras background. If you want to know about Ataturk and also the foundation of a modern nation from the ruins of Ottoman Empire, this is one book you must read. Evrim Icoz

The finest biography I've ever read. An exciting insight into surely, the twentieth century's greatest statesmen. A tremendous read. Also catch the prequel, "The Ottoman Centuries", which is just as lucid and marvellous.

If someone wants to find out who was the most enlighted statesmanof hte 20th century I highly reccomend that they read this book. The impressive life of Mr.Mustafa Kemal ATATURK is deifnitely worth reading. The founder of the modern republic of Turkey, a modernist, an avant-guard man, teh savour of his nation... Here is Mr.Ataturk. Make your children read this book and the world will be a safer place to live..

Having recently visited Turkey, and while there having been given the honor of laying a wreath at the tomb of Mustafa Kemal Attaturk, I asked my host -- the Chief of the Turkish Land Forces -- to suggest a biography on their leader. He gave me this book, and it is one of the best and most insightful biographies of a nation's leader that I have read. While extremely well-written, it also shows how vision, leadership and the selfless will of one contributes to a nation's culture. There are a few other nations in the world today who need a personality like Mustafa Kemal.

it explains the power of hardworking in a genious I couldn't break for a moment when I started reading it.I recommend everyone to read this excellent bioghrapy.