Customer Reviews

Turkey--Bright Sun, Strong Tea: On the Road with a Travel Writer

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While planning a trip to Turkey, I ran across Tom Brosnahan's website, www.TurkeyTravelPlanner.com. I discovered Bright Sun, Strong Tea and purchased the book, not really expecting too much, but I am an avid reader when it comes to a subject I am interested in. Was I surprised, first with Mr. Brosnahan's writing style and secondly with the wealth of information he gives the reader through his experiences and expertise, all with great wit and humor. This is a wonderfully, entertaining and well written book of Mr. Brosnahan's experiences with the Peace Corps in Turkey, fresh out of college, and how that experience develops into his career as one of the best travel writers the business has ever known, particularly Frommer's and Lonely Planet. The author brings Turkey to life through his descriptions and characters. His expertise on where to go, what to do, and thouhtful insight on the Tukish people and their customs are invaluable. I'm ready to hop on the plane today and regret I only have a fraction of time to spend exploring this rich and wonderful country. A must read if you are planning a trip to Turkey, a great read for any reason.

Readers of "Turkey: Bright Sun, Strong Tea" will be charmed by veteran travel guidebook author Tom Brosnahan's humerous and sometimes tell-all autobiography, which recounts his introduction to Turkey as a US Peace Corps Volunteer in 1967, details his adventures and misadventures throughout Turkey in the ensuing decades-and describes how he stumbled into his career of being a travel writer and photographer.

Tom Brosnahan is recognized as one of today's foremost guidebook writers, making this book a must-read both for wannabe travel writers and for travelers, especially those whose discovery and exploration of the exotic destination of Turkey was enhanced and superbly aided by using Tom Brosnahan's guidebooks.

His guide to Turkey (Frommer's Turkey on $5 a Day, 1971) was the first of many to this country that were written for several major publishing houses, including his best-selling Lonely Planet Turkey guide, 1985, which became a best-seller as did several more recent editions of it.

One laments that nowadays many general guidebooks are penned by writers who have little to no prior experience in the destinations they will cover, and that guidebook production for large publishers often is a "work for hire" proposition that allots insufficient time and resources for the endeavor. Indeed, longtime travelers might well yearn for the halcyon days when publishers of travel guides chose to afford writers like Tom Brosnahan, who had an intimate knowledge of the destinations they wrote about.

Joan Peterson, author of "Eat Smart in Turkey: How to Decipher the Menu, Know the Market Foods & Embark on a Tasting Adventure."

The sights, sounds and smells of this exotic country come through every page of Tom Brosnahan's adventures in Turkey:
Bright Sun, Strong Tea is a book that takes you back to a time when Peace Corps Volunteers discovered a country steeped in history and hospitality, and a country that continues to offer a rich tapestry of cultural history, awesome geograpy, gastronomic delights and untold treasures to discover.
Tom's book combines biography, travel and love into an engaging story that puts you smack in the middle of Anatolia and invites you to go see for yourself.
And it's all true: I know. I was a Peace Corps Volunteer there myself.

My response to "Bright Sun, Strong Tea is from the viewpoint of another Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Turkey around the same time as Tom Brosnahan did. His observations about the people and places of Turkey do reflect what many of us experienced, and which he expresses with real affection and good humor. This is a fun book to read and one with truth behind it, for the armchair traveler as well as others, and certainly a look into the the life of one young American Peace Corps Volunteer.

C. Kocan

Reading travel books is always interesting and leaves you wanting (or not) to go to that country of travel. Tom Brosnahan has taken his passion of writing Guide books to writing his experience in a country still somewhat foreign to many North Americans. He places Turkey in the well deserved position it has tried so hard to be noticed for, it's People, Culture and a land of History. The stories take place in the late 60's at a time things were changing.I think this book will make you want to get on the next flight out (maybe even to stay awhile and teach english). If your thinking of going to Turkey have a read through this book first. It is a great book and goes well with Tom's Brosnahan past Turkey guide book from Lonely Planet.

I picked up this wonderful read for preparation for my year teaching in Istanbul. This book is much more than I expected. I loved following Tom's journey as a Peace Corp volunteer in Turkey, beginning in the 1970's. This story contains humor, candor, tons of useful information for travel in Turkey and even a love story! Even if you never plan to travel to the only city in Asia and Europe (Istanbul) it is an intelligent, fantasically
written account on one man's experience and worth the purchase for sure. Oh.....the tea is really strong.

The author was stationed in Turkey in the Peace Corps when he was young and green. He lovingly describes the country, the people, the food. Then he decides to write a travel book about Turkey which he has to figure out how to do (he's long been a writer for Lonely Planet so obviously he found out how to do it). It's a sweet, engaging book which I read before I went to Turkey. I found it helpful and truthful.

I purchased the book for my son who is visiting Turkey. I wanted a book that would provide interesting information not found in a tour guide. He is happy with my selection.

I read this book while visiting Turkey and was pleasantly surprised. It is a wonderful memoir of travel in Turkey over nearly two decades. Mr. Brosnahan's writing is exceptional, informed, and entertaining. His many stories provide unique insights into Turkish culture and history. There are also memorable accounts of friends, dignitaries, and characters met during his travels. I'd highly recommend this book if you have any interest in Turkey or if you'd like to learn from a seasoned traveler. The book also provides an interesting glimpse into the travel industry. I'm recommending the book to a couple of college professors who are leading a group of students to Turkey for a semester abroad. I can't imagine a better introduction to the country!

Tom has done a great job with this book. I enjoyed every page. Completely entertaining, and enjoyable; leaving me loving both the Turkish people and Tom's humor & writing.