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From Life Itself: Turkey, Istanbul, and a Neighborhood in the Age of Erdoğan
One neighborhood in Istanbul: a window on a city, country, region, and world in a state of upheaval.
Karagumruk, an Istanbul neighborhood once dominated by Ottoman-era homes, is now known for petty thieves, cheap apartment blocks, and a massive influx of Syrian refugees. It's here that Suzy Hansen went looking for the truth behind the headlines of the Turkish president Erdoğan's authoritarian turn, a catastrophic regional war, and an accelerating geopolitical crisis. She asks: Was Turkey a harbinger of what would soon arise in other countries, the resurgence of authoritarianism? Or do the lives of this neighborhood, and the transformations of Erdoğan's Turkey, reveal a more complex story?
During a decade spent reporting from Karagumruk, Hansen discovered the neighborhood's secrets and got to know its people: Ismail, the longtime muhtar, or neighborhood councilman; Huseyin, a loyalist for Erdoğan's Islamic nationalist AK party; and Ebru, a real estate agent and mother with ambitions to unseat Ismail. Through these local perspectives, Hansen connects the events unfolding in Karagümrük to the forces roiling Turkey, the Middle East, and the world, capturing the sweep of the last ten years in microcosm.
From the author of the acclaimed Pulitzer Prize finalist Notes on a Foreign Country, From Life Itself is a story for a world out of joint. An absorbing account of one neighborhood in Istanbul that has seen profound change, it offers lessons for all of us who feel the pressure of the disorienting global forces remaking our lives.
Karagumruk, an Istanbul neighborhood once dominated by Ottoman-era homes, is now known for petty thieves, cheap apartment blocks, and a massive influx of Syrian refugees. It's here that Suzy Hansen went looking for the truth behind the headlines of the Turkish president Erdoğan's authoritarian turn, a catastrophic regional war, and an accelerating geopolitical crisis. She asks: Was Turkey a harbinger of what would soon arise in other countries, the resurgence of authoritarianism? Or do the lives of this neighborhood, and the transformations of Erdoğan's Turkey, reveal a more complex story?
During a decade spent reporting from Karagumruk, Hansen discovered the neighborhood's secrets and got to know its people: Ismail, the longtime muhtar, or neighborhood councilman; Huseyin, a loyalist for Erdoğan's Islamic nationalist AK party; and Ebru, a real estate agent and mother with ambitions to unseat Ismail. Through these local perspectives, Hansen connects the events unfolding in Karagümrük to the forces roiling Turkey, the Middle East, and the world, capturing the sweep of the last ten years in microcosm.
From the author of the acclaimed Pulitzer Prize finalist Notes on a Foreign Country, From Life Itself is a story for a world out of joint. An absorbing account of one neighborhood in Istanbul that has seen profound change, it offers lessons for all of us who feel the pressure of the disorienting global forces remaking our lives.
368 pages, Hardcover
Published April 28, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 7, 2026
“In the early twentieth century, the main political momentum was democracy. In the late neoliberal era, it is autocracy.” Cihan Tugal 2024
I recently read Orhan Kenan’s novel, The Renovation, which depicted the struggle of Turkish refugees, intellectuals who fled Erdoğan’s purges after the failed 2016 coup. I realized how little I knew about Erdoğan’s Turkey and decided to read Suzy Hansen’s new nonfiction work.
Hansen is an American journalist who lived in Istanbul for twelve years. Her book examines Erdoğan’s rise from Mayor of Istanbul to far-right authoritarian President of Turkey through the perspective of the inhabitants of Karagümrük, a conservative working-class Istanbul neighborhood where there has been an influx of Syrian refugees. By focusing on Karagümrük, Hansen hoped to capture “how ordinary people experience authoritarianism in the 21st century-how our era feels.”
While the book focuses on the Erdogan era, Hansen provides critical historical background, starting with the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the founding of the Kemalist, Western-style secular Turkish state in 1923. Erdogan was elected Mayor of Istanbul in 1994 as the first Islamist to hold that office. He became Prime Minister in 2003. Hansen claims Erdogan’s initial popularity came from restoring Muslim identity and appealing to the large working-class population who migrated from the countryside to the city, a background he shared and who were largely ignored by political elites.
Hansen documents Erdogan’s shift to the far right and the frenzy of purges after the failed 2016 coup. Although the Gülenists, a rival Islamist group, instigated the coup, Erdoğan used it to purge Gülenists, leftists, liberals, intellectuals, and Kurds from their positions. By 2017, authorities had detained 71,000 people and arrested 41,000. By 2020, these numbers had doubled, and the “state was made up of bureaucrats whose only qualifications were their loyalty to Erdogan and their viciousness.” The rest of the book documents the consequences of these changes.
From Life Itself: Turkey, Istanbul, and a Neighborhood in the Age of Erdogan is well-written, thoroughly researched, and never dry. The shifts between historical segments and neighborhood commentary create a lively, varied take on rapidly changing events and their impact on everyday life. I learned a lot from this book and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to better understand Turkey and the Middle East.
I recently read Orhan Kenan’s novel, The Renovation, which depicted the struggle of Turkish refugees, intellectuals who fled Erdoğan’s purges after the failed 2016 coup. I realized how little I knew about Erdoğan’s Turkey and decided to read Suzy Hansen’s new nonfiction work.
Hansen is an American journalist who lived in Istanbul for twelve years. Her book examines Erdoğan’s rise from Mayor of Istanbul to far-right authoritarian President of Turkey through the perspective of the inhabitants of Karagümrük, a conservative working-class Istanbul neighborhood where there has been an influx of Syrian refugees. By focusing on Karagümrük, Hansen hoped to capture “how ordinary people experience authoritarianism in the 21st century-how our era feels.”
While the book focuses on the Erdogan era, Hansen provides critical historical background, starting with the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the founding of the Kemalist, Western-style secular Turkish state in 1923. Erdogan was elected Mayor of Istanbul in 1994 as the first Islamist to hold that office. He became Prime Minister in 2003. Hansen claims Erdogan’s initial popularity came from restoring Muslim identity and appealing to the large working-class population who migrated from the countryside to the city, a background he shared and who were largely ignored by political elites.
Hansen documents Erdogan’s shift to the far right and the frenzy of purges after the failed 2016 coup. Although the Gülenists, a rival Islamist group, instigated the coup, Erdoğan used it to purge Gülenists, leftists, liberals, intellectuals, and Kurds from their positions. By 2017, authorities had detained 71,000 people and arrested 41,000. By 2020, these numbers had doubled, and the “state was made up of bureaucrats whose only qualifications were their loyalty to Erdogan and their viciousness.” The rest of the book documents the consequences of these changes.
From Life Itself: Turkey, Istanbul, and a Neighborhood in the Age of Erdogan is well-written, thoroughly researched, and never dry. The shifts between historical segments and neighborhood commentary create a lively, varied take on rapidly changing events and their impact on everyday life. I learned a lot from this book and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to better understand Turkey and the Middle East.
June 17, 2026
SUCH a wonderful narrative way to share a history of Erdogan’s rise to power and Istanbul through the eyes of locals. We read this for book club and had weeks worth of discussion after reading this. It was written beautifully, eye-opening, and so mindful in its approach to storytelling, narrative, and Turkish politics. I’ve been recommending to absolutely everyone I know.
June 12, 2026
What I didn't know about modern Turkey was, thankfully, enough to fill a whole book. I understood at a high level there was autocracy and cronyism and a fair amount of corruption in the federal government; what I didn't realize was how it has become suffused into every part of Turkish life, so much so that citizens in even the country's biggest cities would rather risk keeping it than trying to topple it.
Covering the rise of Erdoğan, from his early days as Istanbul's likable Islamist (but seen as a liberalizing force nonetheless) mayor to his time as Prime Minister and then President for life, From Life Itself showcases the diversity of Turkish life through the small Istanbul neighbourhood of Karagümrük, where Ottoman traditions slowly gave way to Ataturk's westernization and, in the mid 2010's, an "Arabesque" revolution through an influx of Syrian refugees.
Hansen, who is American but has lived in Turkey since 2007, gets close to a number of very interesting men and women, and allows them to speak directly to the camera for as long as they like. Over many years, Hansen draws intimate and contradictory portrayals of these people, who fear nothing and everything, welcome their neighbours and spit on them in the same breath.
I've been to Turkey three times, but have never really investigated how the country's vast machinery works; its charms belie a rottenness that, to a Canadian, feels prosaic and charming. This book helped me correct that misnomer, and allowed me to understand just how damaged the country is, both physically and spiritually, from Erdoğan two-decade rule.
Covering the rise of Erdoğan, from his early days as Istanbul's likable Islamist (but seen as a liberalizing force nonetheless) mayor to his time as Prime Minister and then President for life, From Life Itself showcases the diversity of Turkish life through the small Istanbul neighbourhood of Karagümrük, where Ottoman traditions slowly gave way to Ataturk's westernization and, in the mid 2010's, an "Arabesque" revolution through an influx of Syrian refugees.
Hansen, who is American but has lived in Turkey since 2007, gets close to a number of very interesting men and women, and allows them to speak directly to the camera for as long as they like. Over many years, Hansen draws intimate and contradictory portrayals of these people, who fear nothing and everything, welcome their neighbours and spit on them in the same breath.
I've been to Turkey three times, but have never really investigated how the country's vast machinery works; its charms belie a rottenness that, to a Canadian, feels prosaic and charming. This book helped me correct that misnomer, and allowed me to understand just how damaged the country is, both physically and spiritually, from Erdoğan two-decade rule.
July 2, 2026
Having traveled in Turkey 11 years ago, I found this dive into what has been happening in Turkey over the last 15 years fascinating, and I learned a ton.
September 27, 2026
Vivid reporting, much of it from an old and poor neighborhood in Istanbul. A variety of people’s voices help tell the story of Istanbul, especially in the last twenty years, but of course there is almost a couple thousand years of history for that city. . Such a different culture than my own, but they certainly face a lot of the same challenges we do.
September 20, 2026
Expert dissection of how Erdogan has transformed Turkey into a personal fiefdom - crushing opposition and institutionalising cronyism at every level of the Turkish state. Hansen devotes a tonne of time to the musings of active locals/community leaders, before addressing the big picture/historical developments that followed. It's extremely readable and so important given Turkey's critical role in contemporary geopolitics. One mark against the book - I found the author's omission of Erdogan's recent, blatant antisemitism really bizarre - not least given she does address his early antisemitism and the fact that Jewish communities once lived amongst the many Ottoman communities that have since disappeared. Maybe the author felt conflicted in doing so given her views on Gaza (she refers to it only once, as a genocide, in the final chapter), but to omit any analysis of how Erdogan has utilised antisemitism in recent years as an attempt to retain popular support is surprising and a disservice to a book that otherwise offers so much precision.
May 11, 2026
An intriguing blend of personal, local, and political history.
September 1, 2026
Turkey is a fascinating land of contradictions. Although it's rife with xenophobia and religioius conservatism, it is also a meeting ground (and has been at least since the Ottomans took over) for people of many faiths and races.
Hansen's book is reminiscent of "Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity." Like that book about India, this one examines megatrends that affect a whole nation and even the world through the lens of a single neighborhood. The author introduces us to fascinating individuals, takes us through their lives and the evolution of their thought, and unravels the threads of the many historical factors that led to the current day.
To be honest, Hansen's history repeats what I've seen published elsewhere. But she shows how the enormous tides of world history affect ordinary people and how they try to make sense of it. Her historical coverage is thorough, sometimes heart-breaking, but occasionally encouraging. Hansen moralizes frequently. The final chapter and the epilogue are a wonderful summary of what drives politics in Turkey, and how it is both unique and indicative of our world.
Hansen's book is reminiscent of "Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity." Like that book about India, this one examines megatrends that affect a whole nation and even the world through the lens of a single neighborhood. The author introduces us to fascinating individuals, takes us through their lives and the evolution of their thought, and unravels the threads of the many historical factors that led to the current day.
To be honest, Hansen's history repeats what I've seen published elsewhere. But she shows how the enormous tides of world history affect ordinary people and how they try to make sense of it. Her historical coverage is thorough, sometimes heart-breaking, but occasionally encouraging. Hansen moralizes frequently. The final chapter and the epilogue are a wonderful summary of what drives politics in Turkey, and how it is both unique and indicative of our world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2026
From Life Itself is a thoughtful and immersive exploration of Turkey, Istanbul, and everyday life during the Erdoğan era.
Suzy Hansen combines political insight with cultural observation, creating a nuanced portrait of how large historical and political forces shape neighborhoods, communities, and personal identity.
Overall, it is a reflective and compelling work of nonfiction that will resonate with readers interested in politics, history, and deeply human storytelling.
Suzy Hansen combines political insight with cultural observation, creating a nuanced portrait of how large historical and political forces shape neighborhoods, communities, and personal identity.
Overall, it is a reflective and compelling work of nonfiction that will resonate with readers interested in politics, history, and deeply human storytelling.
June 29, 2026
As a former exchange student in Istanbul, I have a tremendous affection for Turkiye and the Turkish people, and was attracted to this book because of that. The author does a good job at describing the unique nature of politics and history in Turkiye while also addressing more universal themes, such as how a relatively intelligent and reasonable people can willingly vote a despot into office multiple times.
May 27, 2026
Journalistic account of life in a working class neighborhood and how it has changed in the past twenty-ish years under Erdogan and the influx of Syrian immigrants. There was a little too much quoting of men on the street perspectives for me but still a nuanced look at the contemporary Turkey. A lot of the corruption in Turkey is analogous to the current corruption in the US.
September 6, 2026
Very accurate description of the recent years in Turkey. Living here there wasn't too much new for me but I would recommend the book to everyone who wants to know what happened. Some small details could have changed, especially in the spoken Turkish words
June 27, 2026
Moving between the micro and the macro this is a fascinating look at how modern Turkey evolved under one increasingly autocratic ruler.
July 3, 2026
Truly wonderful.
July 26, 2026
I loved how much this book focused on the people of a neighborhood. Micro and macro views side by side!
July 27, 2026
A very powerful, convincing, and discouraging assessment of the development of New Turkey from 2003 onward.
August 6, 2026
Meticulous tour de force. Chilling.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews