Customer Reviews

Turkey From the Air

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There are few books that can aspire to depict Turkey with such style. This book captures the essence of the country from the air yet strikes many a chord in those who have been to Turkey. I relived my trip thanks to the amazing photos which are much better than a similar title also in print. I recommend it to those wanting to get a glimpse of what marvels this country holds.

I have not yet travelled in Turkey, but it would take months of difficult itineraries to see everything depicted in this book. Asia Minor (or Anatolia) was the crossroads of ancient civilizations, and I doubt if any nation is so rich in historic sites. From the ruins of Troy to the glory of the Hellenistic Age, from being the wealthiest area of the Roman Empire to its Byzantine glory, and from its crusader castles to the splendour of Islamic rule, Turkey defines and distills the very essence of civilization, and this book, with its oversized, full-page color photos, is a worthy introduction to all Turkey has to offer.

I bought this book in advance of a trip that we were making to Turkey. I wanted my children to get a taste of what it would look like. I was looking for a book with good pictures of scenery, landmarks, people, places and things and it fit the bill perfectly.

There is no doubt that Yann Arthus-Bertrand is a brilliant photographer. The pictures of Sultan Ahmet mosque, the Hagia Sophia, and Suleymaniye Mosque are simply stunning. One thing I was looking for and couldn't find were pictures of Northern Turkey (the Black Sea coast). That was a bit disappointing. Also, I was disappointed and upset with Janine Trotereau's commentary. To claim that democracy in Turkey, and I quote, "has not been able to establish itself with solidity and permanence" is flat out misleading. I am not claiming that the transition from the rule of the Ottoman monarchy to democracy has been smooth or is by any means complete. What I fail to see is a single nation in the history of the world that has made such transitions in its political system of such great magnitude "overnight" without a hitch. Show me a single country that exists today where democracy, meaning government by the people, was not threatened at some point in its history for one reason or another! You can't! In its brief history, the Republic of Turkey has been moving, however slowly and painfully, towards achieving more and more democracy. The problems it faces down the road are not much different than the problems faced by many of the nations that claim to rule through a functioning democracy. So buy the book for the pictures but do your reading on Turkish politics somewhere else!

Going on a trip and didnt want to buy a book there and carry it home. This way I dont have to and I can read and see all the beautiful places I m going to

This book has some of the nicest aerial photos of Turkey that I have seen. My only gripe is that some of the potentially most interesting locations such as the north eastern Black Sea coast of Turkey have not made their way into this book and that is a shame. It does, however do a wonderful job of presenting the regions that are included.