The Western Shores of Turkey: Discovering the Aegean and Mediterranean Coasts [Paperback]

John Freely (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 4, 2004

Resting on two continents, Turkey reflects and absorbs the cultures of both East and West and nowhere is this more evident than along its Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. This is a land immersed in history and mythology: it is where Anthony met Cleopatra, where Herodotus, the "father" of history, was born and where legendary battles were fought--from Alexander the Great to Gallipoli. The Western Shores of Turkey is the distillation of a succession of journeys that John Freely made along this coast--an odyssey spanning a quarter of a century. By bus, car and caique, on foot and post boat, from Istanbul to Antakya (Antioch) on the Syrian border, he discovered the charm of modern Turkey and the wonders of its past. The result is both an informative guide and a remarkable travelogue for all who follow in his footsteps.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The knowledge and experience which [John Freely] has compressed into his book make it remarkably authoritative and comprehensive...the record of a journey undertaken by a man effortlessly able to convey in depth the meaning of what he sees."--Marlena Frick, Scotsman, Edinburgh

"John Freely, in this highly informative book, aims to provide an informal guide to the archaeological sites and historical monuments of this beautiful part of Asia Minor...and to evoke the spirit of these places for those who are embarking upon their own odysseys...he succeeds admirably in both."--Geoffrey Page, Going Places

"With modern map and classical atlas to hand he [John Freely] makes his way along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, skillfully merging past and present as he visits scores of ancient sites, quotes Herodotus and Homer, Sappho and Scripture, and provides detailed plans and useful appendices for like-minded travellers. For them it is to be hoped that a paperback version will soon be available."--Church Times

"John Freely is the perfect guide to the fabled cities of Turkey's epic past bringing alive the many civilisations that once flourished along her Mediterranean and Aegean coasts. An essential book for all visitors to Western Turkey."--Publishing News

About the Author

John Freely has written over thirty travel books and guides, most of them about Greece and Turkey. He is author of Strolling Through Athens (also Tauris Parke Paperbacks).

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Tauris Parke Paperbacks; Revised & Enlarged edition (September 4, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1850436185
• ISBN-13: 978-1850436188
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #192,104 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #49 in Books > Travel > Asia > Turkey
  • #78 in Books > History > Asia > Turkey

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Travelogue of Western Aegean Turkey, November 22, 2008

By 

Patrk71 "Patrick 71" (Texas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Western Shores of Turkey: Discovering the Aegean and Mediterranean Coasts (Paperback)

This is a great followup to the Blue Guide for Turkey but is focused on the Western Aegean shores of Turkey. Written in a style that feels like John Freely (Author) is sitting with the reader talking about his visits to many fascinating ancient sites from the western (Aegean) part of Turkey.

This is not the typical guide book to the sights, but rather a visit to the many places Freely visited himself and an explanation of what he found and saw.

Although out of date by a few years, the ruins and ancient cities described in the book are several thousand years old.

I found a copy of the Blue Guide to Turkey and it covers other areas besides the western part of Turkey. It is even further out of date but that matters little when you read about a city that was founded 2,500 to 3,000 years ago and the abandoned 1,500 years ago.

This is a good read if you are interested in knowing what it is you are seeing when you go to the ancient sites in western Turkey.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Intro to Turkish history & archaeology, February 11, 2010

By 

Paul "Traveler" (Arizona) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Western Shores of Turkey: Discovering the Aegean and Mediterranean Coasts (Paperback)

This is a personal account of travels along Turkey's Aegean shore, with a strong emphasis on history and archaology. The author has a detailed knowledge of all the periods of Turkish history and places each archaeologic site in its historical context: original inhabitants, Greeks, Romans, Persians, Byzantines, Selcuk Turks and Ottomans, into the twentieth century. He also identifies sites associated with various mythologic and biblical events and those related to Homer's Troy. It's a bit encyclopedic but never boring, and greatly enhances a trip to Turkish Anatolia.