One by Hayko, one by Dağıstanlı

It was half past four in the morning when I finished it.
This is a book of memories, slices of Istanbul life, narratives and short stories. Humour prevails, but there are times when you cannot stop your eyes filling with tears. The book’s first narrative is a masterful black humorous account of the ever-changing ‘ethnic’ makeup of his own upstanding Istanbul neighbourhood of Kurtuluş, known as such for 70-80 years. It is social satire at its most biting.
Another short story is set on Kınalı island ...
Well, enough. If I tell you about everything, you will not buy the book. But you have got to buy it. You will read it like I did in fits of laughter, applaud Hayko and be lost for words to thank me.
***
There is another book that I am going to praise, recommend and promote: my friend Mustafa Alp Dağıstanlı’s book published by Can Yayınları: The Ottoman Empire - Not as You Thought.
It is indeed not the book you think. I have no doubt that it will come as a tonic to some in these days in which the deeds of our forefathers are glorified and which are awash with nostalgia for the Ottoman Empire and exaltation for the Ottoman Empire.
Dağıstanlı poses 81 questions about the Ottoman Empire. He then goes on to answer these questions one by one. I am talking about definitive answers having scientific validity. On top of this, he manages to avoid the dry and dusty style so typical of scientific texts and adds a touch of malicious humour to his replies. I will quote a few questions so that you can test yourself:
How widespread was the taking of four wives? Who could address the sultan by name? What is the total of a triangle’s three internal angles? Did the Ottoman empire adopt jackets and trousers from Europe?
With the collection entitled “What were their last words?” at the end of the book rounding off this gripping read, the Bibliography after this bears witness to the laborious effort that Mustafa Alp Dağıstanlı has made to endow the book with scientific trustworthiness.
***
Get and read both books without delay.
I already know that you will thank me.