Job Discussion Forums

[FGT]

I'm reading and loving "Birds Without Wings" by Louis de Bernieres at the moment. Has anyone else read it?

He's the guy who wrote "Captain Corelli's Mandolin".
This book is set in Turkey, mainly near Fethiye, and covers the first quarter of the 20th century in a patchwork of "recollections" by a variety of characters, intersperced with bits of biography of Ataturk.

I think it's a fantastic book.

Can anybody recommend any other books with a Turkish theme?

[dmb]

Anything by Orhan Pamuk. Especially 'The black Book'

[Baba Alex]

[ash]

My Name is Red, Orhan Pamuk.
Currently half way through Istanbul: Memories of a City - it's autobiographical, quite slow, reflective, and self-absorbed. Good though, and some interesting images.
Seven Houses, Alev Lytle Croutier.

[dmb]

sighty off topic, but that doesn't usually stop me. I am reading 'Islam in the world' by Malise Ruthven at the moment. In it there is a reference to Ibn Jubair who made a pilgramage early in the thirtenth century CE. Can anyone tell me what CE is? ( i dont think it has anything to do with the Church of England.)

[ImanH]

dmb, it's basically the same as AD, but from a secular (or alternatively non-Christian) perspective.
It actually stands for Common Era.
BC would be BCE, denoting Before the Common Era.

[saloma]

It means the "Common Era". Some people take offense to "B.C" and "A.D." because of the reference to Christ, so they use "B.C.E." -Before the Common Era and "C.E." - Common Era, instead.

[saloma]

Oops! ImanH, you beat me to it!

[ImanH]

[dmb]

Thanks guys. Isnt this an informative place?

[ash]

So Muslims, who use the Islamic calendar, can relate to the old Roman calendar. Ya know. Which calendar do the Turks use? I'm trying to remember and thinking the Roman calendar...but not at the Mesjid...

[saloma]

Islamic Lunar Calendar

[ash]

now isn't that nice. i need one of those.

[ash]

So the Westernisation imperative didn't extend to the calendar. I wonder about Ataturk's opinion on this.
Tell us more about your favourite Turkish-themed books. And someone should start another thread about Turkish music, unless of course we do it here...

[dmb]

another good book is 'the Turkish Labyrinth- Ataturk and the new Islam' by James Pettifier. for those who know Turkey you'll find yourself totally agreeing with what he writes or totally disagreeing with some parts. An interesting read.