Ataturk (Profiles in Power)

Rating:
Summary: A summary of the foundation of the Turkish Republic.
Review: Profiles in Power: Ataturk as well as telling us about Ataturk also summarizes the the falling down of the Ottoman Empire and the foundation of the Republic of Turkey . It does not go into details but gives overall explanations of the events. Notes and references given at the end of each chapter and the references listed in the Further Reading part is very usefull for the interested reader. Through out the book the writer can be said to be neutral to case, though I doubt the correctness of some of his views.For example the explanation of the meaning of the title "Ghazi" which is the title given to Mustafa Kemal after the War of Sakarya as the "Destroyer of the Christians", is not correct. The meaning of the word Ghazi (Gazi) is explained in the Turkish Dictionary published by Turkish Language Institude as "the title given to the commanders who, performing extraordinary courage and capabilty wins victory against the enemy." Although some comments on some issues should be double checked it is a fluent, consistent book, enjoyable to read.

Rating:
Summary: Concise, well-judged, sympathetic account
Review: This book keeps up the generally high standard of the "Profiles in Power" series and will be very useful for readers fresh to Ataturk and modern Turkish history. The author does not conceal the blemishes in Ataturk's character, but equally the reader can hardly fail to grasp the scale of the Turkish leader's achievements against the background of the Ottoman empire's collapse and the conservatism of Turkish traditions. A longer biography would do greater justice to the complexities of Ataturk's personality and historical legacy, but this is still a reliable and enjoyable book.