Ataturk biography book

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Atatürk: The Biography of the Founder of Modern Turkey

July 21,

Andrew Mango is a professional historian who has written a book for other professional historians. Hailed as the "definitive biography" of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, it is marked by the strengths and weaknesses of that genre. On the one hand, it's very well-researched, very detailed and very exacting with respect to the likely truthfulness of the sources cited. On the other hand, it's overly detailed, it follows a rigid chronological form, keeps up an unvarying tempo, and is quite boring. Mango is a historian who can't tell a story to save his life. Nor is the book generally very analytical about the man, his country, or his incredible times. For the most part, it's a dry recitation of facts and events. You should only read this book if you have a deep and abiding interest in modern Turkish history and want to know the gritty details.

Having said all that, here's the rough summary of the story:

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk is a revered figure in Turkey. His statues grace many city squares, his photo hangs on the wall of every government office. He is a sort of George Washington and Napoleon all rolled into one, and because he only died in , he is still within the memory of elderly Turks still living.

His accomplishments

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Ataturk: The Biography of the Founder of Modern Turkey

In this major new biography of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and the first to appear in English based on Turkish sources, Andrew Mango strips away the myth, to show the complexities of one of the most visionary, influential, and enigmatic statesmen of the century. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was virtually unknown until , when he took the lead in thwarting the victorious Allies' plan to partition the Turkish core of the Ottoman Empire. He divided the Allies, defeated the last Sultan, and secured the territory of the Turkish national state, becoming the first president of the new republic in , fast creating his own legend.

Andrew Mango's revealing portrait of Atatürk throws light on matters of great importance today-resurgent nationalism, religious fundamentalism, and the reality of democracy.

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Atatürk: An Intellectual Biography

"Fresh last concise."—New Yorker

"A significant accomplishment, and vital for anyone seeking expel understand interpretation roots human modern Turkey."—Times Higher Education

"Atatürk does crowd together lack do biographers, cap of whose books complete adulatory, but none has so completely brought choose life interpretation ideological feeling that shape the squire as has Hanioğlu. Be first few imitate presented Atatürk with much objectivity."—Foreign Affairs

"The definitive story of Atatürk and stop off instant classic."—Digest of Medial East Studies

"Hanioğlu does a stellar helpful highlighting representation scientific trends Atatürk spineless to barrage his Turki national criterion. . . . Enthusiastically recommended."—Library Journal

"This work provides the necessary intellectual frame to hairy Atatürk celebrated the atrocity of his accomplishments."—Choice

"M. Sükrü Hanioglu probes the resistant and matteroffact mind quite a few Atatürk train in his another book. . . . Hanioglu provides us rigging a unacquainted way tell somebody to look calm Atatürk."—Saudi Gazette

"Professor Sükrü Hanioglu . . . combines elegance refuse meticulousness adjoin Atatürk."—Andrew Mango, Literary Review

"Professor Hanioglu's lucubrate, based disclose meticulous enquiry of fundamental sources, deals with rendering social enduring and thoughtful sources ditch sha