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The Endless Country: A Personal Journey Through Turkey's First Hundred Years
The Endless Country takes a journey through Turkey’s past – the nation the author’s father left decades ago and he returns to as a young man.
It is not about Erdogan or Atatürk, the two towering Presidents who have book-ended that history, and at times have appeared impossible to escape. Instead Sami Kent’s book goes deep beyond them, revealing a history as rich, layered and absurd as his family’s favourite dessert, künefe: a shredded wheat pastry with a core of melted cheese, a topping of pistachios, and a drowning of syrup.
From tiny weightlifters to the world’s biggest prison, from a failed socialist commune to a wildly successful orchid ice cream, the book is a tribute to the sheer bewildering diversity of Turkey’s past: its people, their ideas and their struggles.
It is not about Erdogan or Atatürk, the two towering Presidents who have book-ended that history, and at times have appeared impossible to escape. Instead Sami Kent’s book goes deep beyond them, revealing a history as rich, layered and absurd as his family’s favourite dessert, künefe: a shredded wheat pastry with a core of melted cheese, a topping of pistachios, and a drowning of syrup.
From tiny weightlifters to the world’s biggest prison, from a failed socialist commune to a wildly successful orchid ice cream, the book is a tribute to the sheer bewildering diversity of Turkey’s past: its people, their ideas and their struggles.
325 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 24, 2025
Sami Kent’e bu kitabı bize armağan ettiği için teşekkür ederim. Kitabı çok beğendim. Yazar, İngiliz bir anne ve Türk bir babanın oğlu olarak İngiltere’de büyümüş. Türkiye’ye dair anıları ise daha çok yaz tatillerinde yapılan ziyaretlerden ibaret; üstelik babası ona Türkçeyi de öğretmemişve Türkçe'yi daha sonra kendi öğrenmiş. Dolayısıyla birçok İngiliz’in Türkiye’yi yalnızca tatil beldelerinden ibaret, her zaman güneşli ve yaz mevsiminde donmuş bir yer olarak görmesine benzer şekilde, onun da ülkeye dair oldukça sınırlı bir bilgisi var.
Başlangıçta kişisel bir yerden hareketle, belki de babasının Türkiye’nin gerçekleri ile oğlu arasına koyduğu perdeyi kaldırmak ve Türkiye’yi anlamak için bu yola çıkıyor. Kitabın ilerleyen bölümlerinde de kendisinin ifade ettiği gibi, biz de bu yolculuk boyunca bir Türkiye retrospektifi okuyoruz. Bu eser yalnızca tarihsel bir anlatı değil; aynı zamanda insan hikâyeleri, kişisel aile geçmişleri ve bireysel hatıralarla zenginleşen, Türkiye’nin ilk yüzyılını hem tarihsel hem de insani bir çerçevede ele alan bir çalışma.
Yazarın dışarıdan gelen bir göz olması nedeniyle ülkeye dair izlenimlerini okumak, bizim de kendi tarihimize ve son yüzyılımıza farklı bir açıdan bakmamıza yardımcı oluyor. Kitapla ilk karşılaşmam Chester kütüphanesinde, Türkiye ya da Osmanlı tarihi hakkında İngiliz yazarların kitaplarını ararken oldu. Amacım, İngilizlerin gözünden ülkemizi görmek ve başka bir bakış açısı edinmekti. Raflarda bu kitaba denk gelince aradığımdan çok daha fazlasını bulduğumu fark ettim. Sami Kent, bir Türk-İngiliz olarak hem içeriden hem dışarıdan bir perspektif sunuyor.
Kitap on iki bölümden oluşuyor ve her bölümde Türkiye’nin son yüzyılının yaklaşık on yılı, dönemin önemli bir olayı etrafında ele alınıyor. Bir bölümde Şapka Kanunu ve Rize’deki ayaklanmalar üzerinden o dönemi okurken, diğerinde 1970’lerin sol hareketlerini Fatsa’daki olaylar üzerinden takip ediyoruz; başka bir bölümde ise liberalleşen Türkiye’yi İstanbul’da ilk köprünün yapılmasıyla ilişkilendirerek anlatıyor. Kitabın akıcı ve anlaşılır dili, özellikle yerel halkla yapılan görüşmeler sayesinde hem dönemin tanıklarının sesini duyuruyor hem de metni daha sahici ve bağ kurulabilir kılıyor. Yazarın başarılı hikâye anlatıcılığında gazetecilik kimliğinin ve yine kendi ifadesiyle babasından aldığı anlatıcılık yeteneğinin etkileri açıkça hissediliyor.
Sami Kent, Guardian’da yapımcı olarak çalışıyor ve bu kitabı, İngilizce olmasına rağmen, bize armağan ettiği için minnettarım. Türkiye’yi yalnızca yaz tatillerinden ve çalkantılı siyasetinden tanıyan İngilizler için ülkemiz hakkında bütünlüklü bir anlayış sunuyor. Bizler içinse kendi yüzyılımıza farklı bir gözle bakmak ve belki köklerimizle yeniden bağ kurmak adına güzel bir kitap olduğunu düşünüyorum.
Kitabı keyifle, bazen duygulanarak, bazen öfkelenerek, bazen de derin bir iç çekişle okudum. Ve kesinlikle tavsiye ederim.
---------------------------------
I would like to thank Sami Kent for gifting us this book. I enjoyed it immensely. The author grew up in England as the son of an English mother and a Turkish father. His memories of Turkey mostly consist of summer holidays, and his father never taught him Turkish and he learned Turkish by himself later. As a result, his knowledge of the country was rather limited, similar to many Brits who only visit Turkey for holidays and imagine it as a place of eternal sunshine, defined by Dalaman or Antalya.
At the beginning, he embarks on this journey from a personal place, perhaps to lift the veil his father placed between the realities of Turkey and his own son, and to understand the country better. As he himself states later in the book, we too read a kind of retrospective of Turkey through this journey. This is not merely a historical account; it is a narrative enriched with personal stories, family histories, and human experiences, offering a view of Turkey’s first century not only through historical events but also through a more intimate, human lens.
Reading the impressions of an outsider allows us to see our country and its past century from a different perspective as well. I discovered this book by chance at the Chester library while searching for works by British authors on Turkey or Ottoman history. My aim was to see my country through British eyes and gain a different viewpoint. When I came across this book on the shelves, I realized I had found something even better than what I was looking for. As a Turkish-British writer, Sami Kent offers both an insider’s and an outsider’s perspective.
The book is divided into twelve chapters, each focusing on roughly a decade of Turkey’s last century through a significant event. In one chapter, we read about the Hat Law and the uprisings in Rize; in another, we explore the leftist movements of the 1970s through the events in Fatsa. Elsewhere, the liberalizing Turkey is examined through the construction of Istanbul’s first bridge. The book’s clear and engaging language, enriched by interviews with local people, brings the voices of those who lived through these periods into the narrative, making it more relatable and vivid. The author’s talent for storytelling reflects both his journalism background and, as he notes, the narrative gift he inherited from his father.
Sami Kent is an audio producer at The Guardian, and I am grateful that he has given us this book, even if it is in English. For British readers who know Turkey only through its summer resorts or turbulent politics, it offers a valuable and insightful overview of the country. For us, it provides a fresh way to look at our own past century, and perhaps reconnect with our roots.
I read it with pleasure, sometimes moved, sometimes angered, sometimes with a deep sigh. And I definitely recommend it.
Başlangıçta kişisel bir yerden hareketle, belki de babasının Türkiye’nin gerçekleri ile oğlu arasına koyduğu perdeyi kaldırmak ve Türkiye’yi anlamak için bu yola çıkıyor. Kitabın ilerleyen bölümlerinde de kendisinin ifade ettiği gibi, biz de bu yolculuk boyunca bir Türkiye retrospektifi okuyoruz. Bu eser yalnızca tarihsel bir anlatı değil; aynı zamanda insan hikâyeleri, kişisel aile geçmişleri ve bireysel hatıralarla zenginleşen, Türkiye’nin ilk yüzyılını hem tarihsel hem de insani bir çerçevede ele alan bir çalışma.
Yazarın dışarıdan gelen bir göz olması nedeniyle ülkeye dair izlenimlerini okumak, bizim de kendi tarihimize ve son yüzyılımıza farklı bir açıdan bakmamıza yardımcı oluyor. Kitapla ilk karşılaşmam Chester kütüphanesinde, Türkiye ya da Osmanlı tarihi hakkında İngiliz yazarların kitaplarını ararken oldu. Amacım, İngilizlerin gözünden ülkemizi görmek ve başka bir bakış açısı edinmekti. Raflarda bu kitaba denk gelince aradığımdan çok daha fazlasını bulduğumu fark ettim. Sami Kent, bir Türk-İngiliz olarak hem içeriden hem dışarıdan bir perspektif sunuyor.
Kitap on iki bölümden oluşuyor ve her bölümde Türkiye’nin son yüzyılının yaklaşık on yılı, dönemin önemli bir olayı etrafında ele alınıyor. Bir bölümde Şapka Kanunu ve Rize’deki ayaklanmalar üzerinden o dönemi okurken, diğerinde 1970’lerin sol hareketlerini Fatsa’daki olaylar üzerinden takip ediyoruz; başka bir bölümde ise liberalleşen Türkiye’yi İstanbul’da ilk köprünün yapılmasıyla ilişkilendirerek anlatıyor. Kitabın akıcı ve anlaşılır dili, özellikle yerel halkla yapılan görüşmeler sayesinde hem dönemin tanıklarının sesini duyuruyor hem de metni daha sahici ve bağ kurulabilir kılıyor. Yazarın başarılı hikâye anlatıcılığında gazetecilik kimliğinin ve yine kendi ifadesiyle babasından aldığı anlatıcılık yeteneğinin etkileri açıkça hissediliyor.
Sami Kent, Guardian’da yapımcı olarak çalışıyor ve bu kitabı, İngilizce olmasına rağmen, bize armağan ettiği için minnettarım. Türkiye’yi yalnızca yaz tatillerinden ve çalkantılı siyasetinden tanıyan İngilizler için ülkemiz hakkında bütünlüklü bir anlayış sunuyor. Bizler içinse kendi yüzyılımıza farklı bir gözle bakmak ve belki köklerimizle yeniden bağ kurmak adına güzel bir kitap olduğunu düşünüyorum.
Kitabı keyifle, bazen duygulanarak, bazen öfkelenerek, bazen de derin bir iç çekişle okudum. Ve kesinlikle tavsiye ederim.
---------------------------------
I would like to thank Sami Kent for gifting us this book. I enjoyed it immensely. The author grew up in England as the son of an English mother and a Turkish father. His memories of Turkey mostly consist of summer holidays, and his father never taught him Turkish and he learned Turkish by himself later. As a result, his knowledge of the country was rather limited, similar to many Brits who only visit Turkey for holidays and imagine it as a place of eternal sunshine, defined by Dalaman or Antalya.
At the beginning, he embarks on this journey from a personal place, perhaps to lift the veil his father placed between the realities of Turkey and his own son, and to understand the country better. As he himself states later in the book, we too read a kind of retrospective of Turkey through this journey. This is not merely a historical account; it is a narrative enriched with personal stories, family histories, and human experiences, offering a view of Turkey’s first century not only through historical events but also through a more intimate, human lens.
Reading the impressions of an outsider allows us to see our country and its past century from a different perspective as well. I discovered this book by chance at the Chester library while searching for works by British authors on Turkey or Ottoman history. My aim was to see my country through British eyes and gain a different viewpoint. When I came across this book on the shelves, I realized I had found something even better than what I was looking for. As a Turkish-British writer, Sami Kent offers both an insider’s and an outsider’s perspective.
The book is divided into twelve chapters, each focusing on roughly a decade of Turkey’s last century through a significant event. In one chapter, we read about the Hat Law and the uprisings in Rize; in another, we explore the leftist movements of the 1970s through the events in Fatsa. Elsewhere, the liberalizing Turkey is examined through the construction of Istanbul’s first bridge. The book’s clear and engaging language, enriched by interviews with local people, brings the voices of those who lived through these periods into the narrative, making it more relatable and vivid. The author’s talent for storytelling reflects both his journalism background and, as he notes, the narrative gift he inherited from his father.
Sami Kent is an audio producer at The Guardian, and I am grateful that he has given us this book, even if it is in English. For British readers who know Turkey only through its summer resorts or turbulent politics, it offers a valuable and insightful overview of the country. For us, it provides a fresh way to look at our own past century, and perhaps reconnect with our roots.
I read it with pleasure, sometimes moved, sometimes angered, sometimes with a deep sigh. And I definitely recommend it.
Want to read
August 20, 2024Although Goodreads doesn't make this clear I thought potential readers would like to know that this book is available in paperback and hardback editions from Picador.
October 1, 2025
I always looked with a bit of suspicion to qualitative research as something you cannot reproduce and somewhat unscientific. I somewhat stand behind that but reading this book also showed the importance of such research, for the huge impact of not what is true but for what people believe and believed is true. This feeling formed many parts of our histories and moved to people to take actions in any manner, either good and often actually shit, according to my own moral standards.
The story of Turkey is a troubled and troubling one. After reading this book I am convinced that Turkish people and country are in an immense struggle for the identity of who they are and want to be and presented as. Changing the names of the cities from Greek, Armenian, Arabic or Kurdish to more Turkish ones, hanging the flag all over the place to justify to oneself where you are, even though everyone knows what country this is, the change of the alphabet and adopting democracy. And always looking with suspicion to others who are not following the "cause" which is also not specified.
Armenians looked at as the fifth column. And afterwards the Kurds and Alevits too. Always the feeling that those elements want to revolt and want independence. But here is a question for people who identify as Turks and follow the "cause". If they want independence and want to separate, why not let them do that? Does anyone want to stay in a sad marriage?
The story of Kocero was a very nice one but also of Sule Yuksel Senler. The woman who encouraged women to wear the hijab again, after a wake up slap by her brother for not being modest, and a shut down slap from her husband after herself trying to say that domestic abuse is okay to accept in order to keep the institute of marriage. The internal struggle and longing for something romantic from the past is a recurring theme in this book but also in the memory of people who are "proud" for some reason for the coincidence of being born in a family that speaks Turkish.
Most puzzling was the story of the Bulgarian heavy lifter who changed his name to a Turkish sounding one and Turkey celebrating that, because they felt oppressed by governments trying to deny people from being part of a group they feel attached to by changing their names. What about the Armenians and Greeks and others in Turkey with Turkified last names to this day? Isn't it odd that you celebrate the ones joining your group but the ones leaving is the enemy we need to hate and seclude?
Nationalism is dumb and we need to fight it. I want to thank the author for the research and very, very nice analysis. It was very awesome to read this book, really. But in the last few sentences he reflects back on the acceptance of Turkish people to him for being half Turkish and always asking where he's from, not being born but origins. I was wondering if the author had the same question as I have when people ask me this question too, "do you need to know if I have the same background as you, so you can trust me? Isn't the person in front of you, without knowing their background, enough to get to know them and trust them?".
I refuse to identify as a part of a group, I'll always be an individual, with roots and past from here and there. No one, who hasn't directly contributed to my achievements is allowed to be proud of me or claim me as one of their tribe or clan or nation. Tribalism, even in its "positive" parts is wrong and going forward we need to fight and get past this mentality.
A good book nonetheless, puts someone to thinking.
The story of Turkey is a troubled and troubling one. After reading this book I am convinced that Turkish people and country are in an immense struggle for the identity of who they are and want to be and presented as. Changing the names of the cities from Greek, Armenian, Arabic or Kurdish to more Turkish ones, hanging the flag all over the place to justify to oneself where you are, even though everyone knows what country this is, the change of the alphabet and adopting democracy. And always looking with suspicion to others who are not following the "cause" which is also not specified.
Armenians looked at as the fifth column. And afterwards the Kurds and Alevits too. Always the feeling that those elements want to revolt and want independence. But here is a question for people who identify as Turks and follow the "cause". If they want independence and want to separate, why not let them do that? Does anyone want to stay in a sad marriage?
The story of Kocero was a very nice one but also of Sule Yuksel Senler. The woman who encouraged women to wear the hijab again, after a wake up slap by her brother for not being modest, and a shut down slap from her husband after herself trying to say that domestic abuse is okay to accept in order to keep the institute of marriage. The internal struggle and longing for something romantic from the past is a recurring theme in this book but also in the memory of people who are "proud" for some reason for the coincidence of being born in a family that speaks Turkish.
Most puzzling was the story of the Bulgarian heavy lifter who changed his name to a Turkish sounding one and Turkey celebrating that, because they felt oppressed by governments trying to deny people from being part of a group they feel attached to by changing their names. What about the Armenians and Greeks and others in Turkey with Turkified last names to this day? Isn't it odd that you celebrate the ones joining your group but the ones leaving is the enemy we need to hate and seclude?
Nationalism is dumb and we need to fight it. I want to thank the author for the research and very, very nice analysis. It was very awesome to read this book, really. But in the last few sentences he reflects back on the acceptance of Turkish people to him for being half Turkish and always asking where he's from, not being born but origins. I was wondering if the author had the same question as I have when people ask me this question too, "do you need to know if I have the same background as you, so you can trust me? Isn't the person in front of you, without knowing their background, enough to get to know them and trust them?".
I refuse to identify as a part of a group, I'll always be an individual, with roots and past from here and there. No one, who hasn't directly contributed to my achievements is allowed to be proud of me or claim me as one of their tribe or clan or nation. Tribalism, even in its "positive" parts is wrong and going forward we need to fight and get past this mentality.
A good book nonetheless, puts someone to thinking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2025
My partner read this book before me, and recommended me to read it as well. I doubted to read it, but thought it might be interesting, being ethnically Turkish myself, but not knowing that much about the country.
All in all it was a pleasant read. Some stories resonated with me more than others. I especially enjoyed reading about the hats revolution, something I'd never heard of that seems so trivial but was a big deal, and about Şüle Yüksel Şenler, someone I never heard of but apparently had quite a big influence on the lifes of many women. Also the chapters on Naim Süleymanoğlu and Ahmet Kaya were fun to read, because my mother and I both recognized some things that were familiar to us. Some of the other chapters I don't remember that well, because it didn't really resonate with me. These parts were therefore more of a drag to me, but that is personal, because the writing style of the author is pretty nice and readable.
I think Türkiye seems like a country where its inhabitants don't really know who or what they identify with. A country that has a majority of muslims (sometimes also just by birth, not even practised), is officially secular, has both "Middle Eastern" and more western European traits, is a democracy but seems more and more like an authoritarian system. It seems like a country that's in flux, still after a 100 years. With all its efforts to 'homogenize' the country by brutally denying its minorities and "Turkifying" the country, (with the Turkish flag on almost every street corner), the country seems ever more confusing/confused, but holding on for dear life to its created identity.
I cannot say I know much more about Turkey now, but it was definitely a nice and personal read, zooming in on some people's hardships and lives. It reminded me again that we are all just humans, trying to find our own way.
(Yes, I used both Türkiye and Turkey in the text, first not noticing, but then noticed it and thought I might leave it at that, as it also shows the identity struggle / search of this country, I think..)
All in all it was a pleasant read. Some stories resonated with me more than others. I especially enjoyed reading about the hats revolution, something I'd never heard of that seems so trivial but was a big deal, and about Şüle Yüksel Şenler, someone I never heard of but apparently had quite a big influence on the lifes of many women. Also the chapters on Naim Süleymanoğlu and Ahmet Kaya were fun to read, because my mother and I both recognized some things that were familiar to us. Some of the other chapters I don't remember that well, because it didn't really resonate with me. These parts were therefore more of a drag to me, but that is personal, because the writing style of the author is pretty nice and readable.
I think Türkiye seems like a country where its inhabitants don't really know who or what they identify with. A country that has a majority of muslims (sometimes also just by birth, not even practised), is officially secular, has both "Middle Eastern" and more western European traits, is a democracy but seems more and more like an authoritarian system. It seems like a country that's in flux, still after a 100 years. With all its efforts to 'homogenize' the country by brutally denying its minorities and "Turkifying" the country, (with the Turkish flag on almost every street corner), the country seems ever more confusing/confused, but holding on for dear life to its created identity.
I cannot say I know much more about Turkey now, but it was definitely a nice and personal read, zooming in on some people's hardships and lives. It reminded me again that we are all just humans, trying to find our own way.
(Yes, I used both Türkiye and Turkey in the text, first not noticing, but then noticed it and thought I might leave it at that, as it also shows the identity struggle / search of this country, I think..)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2024
The title of the book grabbed me - Turkey? Only a hundred years old? It was startling to think that from such old cultures came a new, secular country (albeit with an underlying nationalist and Islamist layer), large and diverse in people and geography. Kent's book (he calls it a mosaic) is a fine way to learn about Turkey, containing a little history, a little nature writing, a little journalism, and a little family lore, along with my favorite thing: MAPS which actually contain the names of the places mentioned in the 13 bite-sized chapters. The country was formed from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire and severe losses following the first World War, its catalyst a character who came to be known as the Father of the Turks, hellbent on westernizing his countrymen after the West had just beaten and humiliated them. However did Ataturk manage that? Kent gets into that in his chapter about hats, the Sevr Syndrome, and Atma Hamidiye. Part of those radical changes included removing the old Arab influences - jettisoning the use of the Arabic alphabet for example (even at one point requiring the call to prayer to be in Turkish!) - and Turkifying everything to the extent of forbidding the use of any languages not Turkish by the country's many minorities. The changes in popularity of Arab-influenced musical styles is also talked about in the chapter on Ahmet Kaya. It was interesting for me, knowing of the negative influences of Ottoman control of the Levant, to see what was happening in Anatolia itself: the postwar poverty and food shortages leading to crime, social breakdown, and mistreatment of minorities. Kent talks about history, but often from a cultural viewpoint that has a way of telling a fuller story. I never knew about the Bulgarian "green" Iron Curtain - Kent presents that in a memorable chapter about an Olympic weightlifter. I learned there is a green marble stone on the hills of Suleymaniye placed by Sinan to mark the center of the old city, wonder where that is. I learned that sahlab is made from the tuber of an orchid. The end of the left was a sad poignant chapter. There is music and poetry, as well as prisons and earthquakes, all in all, a book filled with fascinating stories.
November 14, 2025
Understanding Turkish politics and being objective can be challenging even for Turkish citizens, or shall we say, it is even harder when you are a Turkish citizen! Since the last decade, there is almost no transparent, honest, sincere communication among the leadership and the citizens. And believe me, this is not only about the current government, it also applies to the opposition! 👯
The media in Turkey is not media any more (just like many other countries along the world), but I should say this also thanks to the Turks who no longer want to hear other's opinions. We are very comfortable in our echo chambers, thank you! 🙈
When I read Sami's book, which is about the fault lines of the society and how state deals with those (often brutally), you can't help but think 'maybe there simply isn't any other way Turkey can be ruled??'. And really, there had been worst times and better times, but it all comes down to the state becoming more authoritarian, and slowly going back to a more tolerant state. It is like the cycles of capitalism.
Turkey is not an Endless Country, but I think it is simply not born altogether, half of the body is stuck in... somewhere in history during the childbirth, I suppose?? Turkey is still trying to identify what it is, and this has been going for as long as late Ottoman times.
Sami's book visits many areas of Turkey, and there are interviews from different range of people, which is great. However, I didn't give it five stars, simply because it lacks any analysis on WHY Turkey is the way it is. For that, readers have to continue reading on other sources. :) But all in all an enjoyable, fun read.
The media in Turkey is not media any more (just like many other countries along the world), but I should say this also thanks to the Turks who no longer want to hear other's opinions. We are very comfortable in our echo chambers, thank you! 🙈
When I read Sami's book, which is about the fault lines of the society and how state deals with those (often brutally), you can't help but think 'maybe there simply isn't any other way Turkey can be ruled??'. And really, there had been worst times and better times, but it all comes down to the state becoming more authoritarian, and slowly going back to a more tolerant state. It is like the cycles of capitalism.
Turkey is not an Endless Country, but I think it is simply not born altogether, half of the body is stuck in... somewhere in history during the childbirth, I suppose?? Turkey is still trying to identify what it is, and this has been going for as long as late Ottoman times.
Sami's book visits many areas of Turkey, and there are interviews from different range of people, which is great. However, I didn't give it five stars, simply because it lacks any analysis on WHY Turkey is the way it is. For that, readers have to continue reading on other sources. :) But all in all an enjoyable, fun read.
January 21, 2025
The Endless Country by Sami Kent is a mesmerising tapestry of Türkiye’s first century, woven with threads of pivotal moments and intimate family stories. Kent doesn’t just tell history—he lives it through the eyes of a country caught in the perpetual push-and-pull of identity. A place where the West and East tango awkwardly, the left and right clash fiercely, and secular dreams walk a tightrope over deeply rooted Islamic traditions.
Kent's writing has the power of an ancient storyteller and the precision of a journalist. Each chapter is a doorway: one minute, you’re standing in the fervor of Atatürk’s reforms, and the next, you’re sitting in a family living room, watching the ripple effects of coups and cultural shifts on everyday lives. There’s no sugarcoating here—Kent holds up a mirror to Türkiye’s sketchy history, showing both its luminous hope and its darker corners.
It’s not just a history lesson; it’s an emotional rollercoaster. His family stories, laced with triumphs, heartbreaks, and resilience, make this book hit you in the chest. It’s a rare gem—honest, raw, and deeply personal. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to belong to a country that’s always balancing contradictions, this book is your answer.
Kent's writing has the power of an ancient storyteller and the precision of a journalist. Each chapter is a doorway: one minute, you’re standing in the fervor of Atatürk’s reforms, and the next, you’re sitting in a family living room, watching the ripple effects of coups and cultural shifts on everyday lives. There’s no sugarcoating here—Kent holds up a mirror to Türkiye’s sketchy history, showing both its luminous hope and its darker corners.
It’s not just a history lesson; it’s an emotional rollercoaster. His family stories, laced with triumphs, heartbreaks, and resilience, make this book hit you in the chest. It’s a rare gem—honest, raw, and deeply personal. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to belong to a country that’s always balancing contradictions, this book is your answer.
April 13, 2025
glazed in warmth and nuance, ‘the endless country’ is a triumph in its historic reflections, vignettes through turkey’s “hundred year history” since ataturk and a loving, tender and poignant exploration of family and belonging through time and a complicated cultural and religious tapestry. written by a journalist, the prose is surprisingly honeyed, engaging, meticulous and accessible to the general reader. kent’s touchstones through time are fascinating, inviting and enthralling to the lay and general reader. we see a cycle break, continue, then end by eating its own head (see the events of march 2025 uncomfortably parallel throughout the novel). i picked this one up after hearing kent speak on a podcast — his voice is one that is sensitive, willing to share and like many of his interviewees, layered with richness and intrigue (in the backdrop of the sea and mountains). an absolute pleasure — totally unexpected and leaving a craving for more (much like the famous turkish ice cream).
October 15, 2024
I have read this book while travelling in Turkey. I liked the format: retelling Turkey's last 100 years' history through zooming in some major events. The chapter "The Prison Nation" broke me a bit, even though it captures the last years of the Turkey's history that most of us are familiar with, but it still touched me: giving the hope and then crushing it, what a heartbreak. I also liked that the author was using a lot of Turkish language in the text and then giving a translation. It is a very interesting, engaging read.
November 17, 2024
A beautiful and unforgettable ode to Turkey's history and its people. Written with researched objectivity and historical detail, yet simultaneously deeply personal to the author's own relationship to the country and his father, this collection of essays brings to life 100 years of Turkey's history through vivid and human stories about a collection of remarkable characters. At once poignant and humorous, this is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand Turkey's remarkable story.
November 28, 2024
An engrossing account of the history of Turkey from the early 20th century to date. Told through a series of cameos focusing on various different aspects of Turkey’s history, this book managed to be both technically informative and personal at the same time. Well researched and in places very moving.
December 10, 2024
📖 The Endless Country by Sami Kent 💥💥💥💥💥
As a fan of history, I have found this book to be very informative, full of people stories about what it meant to live in #turkey🇹🇷 in the last 100 years.
There was so much for me to learn what I was not aware of. As the country itself has so many folks, traditions, and beliefs, all that combined with brutal governance created complex social structures and events.
A good summary through the human eye about this country!
As a fan of history, I have found this book to be very informative, full of people stories about what it meant to live in #turkey🇹🇷 in the last 100 years.
There was so much for me to learn what I was not aware of. As the country itself has so many folks, traditions, and beliefs, all that combined with brutal governance created complex social structures and events.
A good summary through the human eye about this country!
December 25, 2025
I had hoped it was a little more setting the scene for my upcoming trip to Turkiye, but it was not really. If you are looking for a personal and low-bar account of Turkish history though, this is great!
August 17, 2024
A well-researched, lovingly written and generally enjoyable piece of work.
October 14, 2024
A great book to read while travelling through Turkey. Having Sami Kent's insights into modern Turkey added colour and shade to a tourist's journey.
December 31, 2024
Beautiful book full of insights into Turkey’s history
July 30, 2025
Wonderful book, humane and tolerant. I am not a good enough writer to praise it, just read it for yourself.
September 27, 2025
One of those books you want to never end. Well researched and beautifully written.
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