Turkey Book List: Six Helpful Recommendations for Travelers
Turkey encompasses all of the cultural diversity and consequential history one would expect of a nation straddling two great continents. Through the centuries, and indeed across millenia, the people of Asia Minor have played roles of outsized importance in the development of nations and empires stretching far beyond the contours of geography. This Turkey reading list includes helpful book recommendations for visiting Turkey, speaking Turkish, and learning a bit about the history and culture of its people.
Turkey Travel Guides
DK Eyewitness Travel Turkey Guide
by DK Eyewitness
My favorite travel guide series. This volume belongs on every Turkey reading list. It cover all the necessary bases in simple, straightforward fashion. I love the quick reference regional maps, three dimensional site illustrations, and short summaries of important locations and attractions. Includes useful contact details. Buy it now
Biblical Turkey: A Guide to the Jewish and Christian Sites of Asia Minor
by Mark Wilson
“Biblical Turkey is an authoritative and comprehensive guide to the ancient Jewish and Christian sites in Turkey. It includes all the references to cities, regions, provinces, and natural features in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, Apocrypha/Deuterocanonicals, New Testament and Apostolic Fathers.” Buy it now
Turkish Language and Culture Helps
Turkish Phrasebook & Dictionary
by Collins UK
It’s no surprise this is one of the best selling Turkish language phrasebooks on the market today. It’s compact size, easy to use pronunciation guide, and popular thematic organization make it a valuable tool for travelers. Cultural tips and a 3000 word dictionary add to its strengths. Buy it now
Turkey – Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs and Culture
by Charlotte McPherson
New Edition available August 2022. The 2016 edition was an excellent guide to the ins and outs of Turkish culture. “This updated edition outlines the complex history of Anatolia, provides key insights into contemporary Turkish values and attitudes, describes important customs and traditions, and reveals what life is like for the Turks at home, at work, and at play. It also offers practical tips and information about what to expect and how to navigate different social situations.” Buy it now
Turkish History Books
A Week in the Life of Ephesus
by David A. deSilva
How should Christians live in the age of Empire? That’s the question addressed by this novel of first century Ephesus. Set in the run up to a pagan festival, the author uses the literary setting to explore the real societal struggles of Christians in the era of the Early Church. Buy it now
A Week in the Life of a Slave
by John Byron
Historical fiction by an accomplished New Testament scholar, loosely based on the apostle Paul’s letter to Philemon. The author crafts a riveting tale from the barest of essentials preserved in the biblical text, proving once again the power of storytelling to awaken interest in ancient history and culture. Buy it now
