Speaking of the Turks

In Short

Written by a Turkish diplomat's son returned from a decade in the United States, this book offers a vivid eyewitness defense of Istanbul and Turkey during the Allied occupation following World War I. Bringing his New Orleans-born bride home, the narrator contrasts the western caricatures of his countrymen with the realities of daily Ottoman life—from international marriages and domestic etiquette to progressive women and intellectual neighborhood circles. Part travelog, part cultural treatise, and part nationalist manifesto, it survives as a rare, intimate Turkish perspective on a watershed historical transformation, capturing a proud society rebuilding itself from imperial ruin into a modern state.

The Story

The narrative opens with the author returning to his native Constantinople after nearly ten years in America. Having left shortly after the Turkish revolution when the capital was overflowing with optimism for progress and emancipation, he comes back to find the city groaning under the crushing grip of victorious foreign occupying forces. Yet, alongside his grief, he feels the thrill of homecoming and the eagerness to introduce his young American bride to his real homeland, far removed from the sensationalized distortions of the international press.

Upon their arrival, the couple dives into the vibrant, cosmopolitan social fabric of the city. To his wife’s astonishment, she discovers that far from being an anomaly, international marriages are commonplace among the Turks; she quickly meets foreign wives from France, Austria, Bavaria, and America who live happily within Moslem traditions that grant them full religious freedom. Moving between family estates and historical quarters, the narrator outlines the deeply ingrained customs of Turkish life, such as the respectful ritual of hand-kissing among relatives and the unique, familial devotion between households and their multi-generational domestic servants.

As the narrative moves from private homes to public quarters, the author introduces the reader to the vibrant street life of Stamboul, where neighbors, shopkeepers, and intellectuals form close-knit, supportive communities free of empty gossip. However, this traditional warmth stands in stark contrast to the district of Pera, where foreign occupation and an influx of Russian refugees have spawned a lawless, profit-driven nightlife filled with gambling, vice, and food speculation.

Through late-night discussions with friends, family, and public figures, the narrator voices the collective grief and quiet outrage of his countrymen. They bitterly question the western world's double standards, pointing out how foreign media ignores Turkish suffering while magnifying the virtues of others. The narrative shifts scale as reports arrive from Anatolia and the nationalist capital of Angora (Ankara), where women act as relief workers, volunteers assemble from across the Islamic world, and leaders like Halidé Edib work tirelessly in simple surroundings. The author concludes on an uplifting note of defiance and hope: despite imperial collapse, foreign aggression, and unrelenting propaganda, a rejuvenated Turkey is breaking its chains to step forward as an independent, progressive nation.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Returning to Constantinople aboard a ship after ten years in America, the narrator reflects on how his hopeful nation was devastated by successive wars. He arrives with his New Orleans bride, eager to show her the true character of his maligned homeland.

Arrival and family reunions Entering his aunt's traditional estate at Erenkeuy, the couple is warmly greeted according to strict Turkish etiquette, where younger relatives kiss the hands of their elders in a graceful display of mutual respect.

Challenging Western misconceptions At social gatherings, the narrator's wife discovers an international social circle filled with foreign women married to Turks, disproving the American myth that East and West cannot successfully mix.

Life in the intellectual quarters Settling into Stamboul, the author contrasts the intimate, community-minded spirit of his neighborhood—populated by journalists, doctors, and loyal multi-generational servants—with the commercialized, chaotic districts dominated by foreign interests.

The shadow of foreign occupation Navigating the disreputable streets of Pera, the narrator meets food speculators and Russian refugees, observing with dismay how Allied occupying forces permit vice to flourish while stripping the local police of their authority.

Voices from the national front Friends arriving from Anatolia describe the hardships under foreign occupation and question why the Western press maintains an unfair double standard against Turks, voicing fear that persistent injustice will drive the nation to despair.

The spirit of Angora Through correspondence detailing the new capital of Angora, the author depicts a frugal, hard-working society where patriotic women work alongside volunteers from across Asia to build a modern, democratic republic.

The People

• The Narrator (Mufti-zada Ziya Bey): A western-educated Turk returning home after ten years in America. He seeks to defend his culture against international prejudice, restore his family's household in Istanbul, and document his country's struggle for independence.

• The Narrator's Wife: A young American woman from New Orleans. She defies her friends' warnings by marrying a Turk, arriving in Constantinople open-minded and eager to discover the realities of Turkish domestic life.

• The Narrator's Aunt: A traditional yet progressive matriarch living in Erenkeuy. She maintains formal family etiquette, works indefatigably for civic causes, and gently laughs at her nephew when he talks about women's emancipation like a surprised foreigner.

• Kemal Bey: A talented young Turkish electrical engineer on leave from Germany. Modest and highly skilled, he resists Western materialism and plans to return to Turkey with his Munich-born fiancée to help modernize his country's infrastructure.

• Djevad Bey: An athletic young Turk recently returned from Anatolia. Deeply moved by the suffering he witnessed in occupied regions, he passionately condemns the foreign press for its anti-Turkish double standards.

• Carayanni: A prosperous, impeccably dressed food speculator in Pera. Formerly a modest gambler, he has adapted to the occupation economy, mimicking English manners while profiting off the city's food supply.

• Halidé Edib (Halide Edip Adıvar): A renowned writer and political leader in Angora. Dressed simply and living in a modest house filled with books, she serves as an inspiring symbol of the modern, emancipated Turkish woman working for national liberation.

In Its Own Voice

"When we announced our engagement several of her friends in America had endeavoured to dissuade her from marrying a Turk. Surely a Turk could not make a good husband, East and West could never mix..."

The narrator recalls the warnings his American bride received before leaving New Orleans for Constantinople.

"Why this prejudice against the Turks? Will the Western world ever outgrow it and discard it?"

A young Turk named Djevad expresses the bitter frustration felt by his countrymen over the media bias of foreign powers.

"No matter how poor we might be the price to be paid for the possession of the sarcophagus will always have to be reckoned in corpses on battlefields and not in money on a counter!"

The Foreign Minister refuses a lucrative foreign offer to buy the famous Sarcophagus of Alexander from the Imperial Museum.

What It's Really About

At its core, the book is a passionate counter-narrative against Western orientalism and anti-Turkish sentiment. Writing during a period of foreign occupation, the author seeks to dismantle the stereotype of the "unspeakable Turk" by showcasing a sophisticated, tolerant, and family-oriented society. It examines the complex blending of Eastern traditions and Western progress, arguing that true modernization does not require abandoning cultural identity. Beyond its social observation, the work serves as a political defense of Turkish sovereignty, exploring how a nation enduring war, occupation, and media defamation can harness its collective patriotism to rebuild itself into a self-reliant, democratic state.

Why Read It Today

This account offers a compelling, human-centered bridge across a historical divide, making it an essential read for history enthusiasts, travel literature lovers, and anyone interested in the late Ottoman era. What makes the book so engaging is its warm, conversational tone; reading it feels like sitting in an informal Stamboul drawing-room listening to a cultured host share insider observations. It provides a rare first-hand perspective from inside Turkish society rather than through the detached lens of a Western diplomat or tourist.

Modern readers should be prepared for period-specific language, detailed explanations of long-obsolete municipal arrangements, and an unashamedly patriotic stance that overlooks internal political fault lines. However, these period attitudes only enhance its value as an authentic primary document. What remains with the reader is the vivid portrait of a proud city in transition—where traditional hand-kissing in quiet gardens coexists with the birth of a modern republic—and a timeless plea for cultural empathy across international borders.