The Ottoman Centuries: The Rise and Fall of the Turkish Empire

This is a well written and researched history book - assertions that is it like fiction or reads like a soap opera (suggested by a couple of other reviewers) are simply wrong.

Kinross manages to squeeze about 500 years of history into ~600 pages and in my opinion succeeds in covering the most important content in sufficient depth for the general reader. I particularly enjoyed the coverage of Ottoman diplomacy conducted with European powers in the latter part of eighteenth century onwards.

On the negative side, I believe that there are too few pictures and certainly too few maps for a book of this length, and those that are included are not high quality. The paper itself is also low grade, which is a shame considering the content is otherwise really good.

I highly recommend getting a copy of this book, but it is perhaps worth exploring editions published by other companies - the Amazon marketplace appears to have several.

An entertaining and informative read (9/9 people found this helpful)

Lord Kinross takes on the huge task of detailing the Ottoman Empires history from its birth in the 14th century, until its dissolution in 1923. Yet Kinross manages to keep the reader constantly attached to unfolding events which at its zenith, under Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, made the Ottoman Empire the most powerful civilisation in the world. He is equally adept at describing its downfall, spurred on by infighting, corruption and less capable Sultans. The book is an excellent prequel to his other huge work, Ataturk, the biographical account of the founder of the Republic of Turkey.

Read "Report On Turkey" By George Horton, Insted (17/76 people found this helpful)

I'll use the words of a former customer review : "It's almost a modern soap opera." If this is the average level of the american reader then I guess all books will be like this in the future! It's thrilling how a writer can turn a 400 year old empire that kept it's regions in a 3rd world state into a lovely novel. I knew Americans had a special sympathy for Turkish people, but history should be told as it was made, not through the modern commercial style, for which we got USA to thank for...

Hystory made fascinating as a movie (15/19 people found this helpful)

Even though it is not a scientific book of history, Lord Kinross gives a superbous fresco of the Ottoman times and mentality. I have found the book well balanced, with the necessary emphasis to both positive and negative characters of Ottoman rulers and people. I really enjoyed to read it, and I recommend this book to every one interested to understand modern Turkey also through its past.

600 years of history made more entertaining than any film (9/14 people found this helpful)

I suppose this has to be classed as a history book, but it really should be under the fiction category, it is that entertaining! Though informative, this book is superbly written, easy to read, and is genuinely a must-read for anyone interested in world history. The most fascinating characters in history get a mention (including even Vlad Dracul, or Dracula as he is better known in the West- how many even knew he was a real man??!!).

The Ottoman Centuries: The Rise and Fall of the Turkish Empire

Patrick Balfour Kinross

Reader Reviews:

Excellent general history of the Ottoman empire (2/2 people found this helpful)

An entertaining and informative read (9/9 people found this helpful)

Read "Report On Turkey" By George Horton, Insted (17/76 people found this helpful)

Hystory made fascinating as a movie (15/19 people found this helpful)

600 years of history made more entertaining than any film (9/14 people found this helpful)

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