Rating: 
Summary: Compelling and insightful, but sensationalist
Review: This synopsis of the history and current issues of modern Turkey is compelling and insightful, despite at times being a bit sensationalist and biased.I just returned from a couple of weeks in Turkey where I spent a lot of time just talking to folks. I must admit that on many issues Kinzer was right on -- or at least highlighted the hottest topics even if his take on them didn't always completely line up with what I picked up from the people there. It certainly gives a reasonable introduction to what people are thinking about and the issues that they face. It's clear that Kinzer loves Turkey and after spending some time there I can concur that there's much to admire. Sadly however there are a number of faults in the writing style that are a little disappointing. First, Kinzer is a New York Times reporter and the book reads like that -- it would be a very different book were it written by a historian or a sociologist. Sometimes there's a bit too much skimming of the surface for a work this long. Second, there's a pretty clear agenda to it (like, say, the New York Times). There are times that Kinzer seems to have already decided the fate that he thinks Turkey should take and projects this back on the people there. The issue that I noticed the most contrast with what I read and what I heard was the issue of joining the EU and pushing the culture further west. The Turkish that I met -- even some among them in what would seem to be a very westernized segment of society -- are much more cautious about this move than Kinzer implies. There's a real fear of compromising or destroying that which is distinctive in Turkish culture. But then there are issues where he's right on. I often used the book as a guide on interesting topics to let conversations tend toward. Specifically the issues surrounding Greek / Turkish relations seemed to be very near to what people really felt. Anyway -- on the whole a good read, but it really feels more like a compelling series of articles on modern Turkey than a well researched book on the cultural issues.
Rating:
Summary: Good Read About an Important Country
Review: Turkey will go down as one of the most important countries of the 21st Century as it is both the most successful example of a secular country with an Islamic majority population and because its location makes it a bridge between Europe and the Middle East. Kinzer provides a good snapshot of Turkey and obviously has great respect and affection for the country. This usually translates into a good book, though one that falls into a personal narrative or interpretation a bit too frequently.
The book is a solid introduction to modern Turkey and how the father of the country, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, dragged it kicking and screaming into modern times and towards a Western orientation. Kinzer also provides the reader a good introductory picture of how secularism is lived and enforced in the present day.
The accounts of Turkey's socio-political issues are also quite good. The reader is left with an understanding of both internal issues, such as Turkey's stance towards Armenians and Kurds, as well as external issues, such as Turkey's relationship with its archrival Greece.
The least persuasive aspect of the book is Kinzer's take on the military's role in the enforcement of the country's secularism. Contrary to popular belief, such enforcement is not meddling with politics, but is instead the constitutional role of the military. Certainly this goes against the grain of most secular societies' civilian control over the military. However, as Turkey is hands down the most successful secular country with a Muslim majority, one should be very hesitant to tinker with it. After all, if it's not broken, don't fix it.
Despite this, Kinzer argues that the military should loosen its enforcement of secularism to allow more democracy to flourish. Certainly a nice concept, but there is too little discussion of the unfortunate currents of fundamentalist Islam that exist within the country and which just might knock secularism off its perch. Kinzer was the Istanbul bureau chief for the New York Times and, while this certainly makes him qualified to write on Turkey, it also opens him up to a criticism that could be made of many Times reporters, specifically that they assume the masses have the same values as the educated journalistic elite (or can be "enlightened" to adopt those views). This is a mistake journalists make time and again in the U.S. and I had the strong feeling reading this book that the same mistake was being made but towards a different society, in this case Turkey.
Perhaps it would be better for the military to loosen its grip, as Kinzer suggests. The problem I am focusing on in this review is that Kinzer has not made a solid enough argument for it. Instead he suggests a rather radical adjustment to the Turkish system with an analysis that left me, not necessarily in disagreement, but instead unconvinced. His position is simply conclusive in nature without the necessary support to prop it up.
Obviously an author is allowed to throw his take into the mix. Despite some questions over his policy suggestions, however, I recommend this book to gain a good understanding of an important player on the world stage.
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