Laurence Mackinreviews travel books on Turkey
Turkish Coast through Writers' Eyes
Edited by Rupert Scott Eland
Eland Publishing, £12.99
The coastline between Izmir and Antalya has fascinated writers since the time of Homer, and this vibrant history of the area is studded with glinting quotes and passages from writers such as Byron, Freya Stark, Louis de Bernières, Nancy Phelan, and Homer. The lasting impression this book leaves is just how fast tourism has swamped the coastline and how the package-tour operators have laid claim to chunks of the coast. However, this is an ancient land, and shreds of the various empires that have come and gone still litter the landscape. Accounts of tumbledown cafes on tiny harbours made from ancient slabs of marble, a column or two from some decrepit empire holding up the sagging roof, are liberally spiced throughout the book. The account of cruising the various rocky channels aboard a traditional gulet before hopping off to feast on fresh seafood in the foreword is enough to make you want to set sail immediately.
Istanbul City Guide
Lonely Planet, £12.99
Head further north for evidence of a more modern empire on the march; the ancient city of Istanbul is being reinvigorated and is now firmly on the map of must-visit European cities. The meeting of east and west makes for an awesome urban patchwork of bristling markets, elegant mosques and a new generation of cutting edge clubs and bars. A strong background section in this guide does its best to put the city's history in context, and the listings sections are punctuated with dozens of unmissable recommendations. A section on excursions gives you options if your trip is more than a rapid-fire weekend.