My "Reading the World" Project

In May, on this blog, I featured Ann Morgan's Ted Talk on "Reading the World." Ms. Morgan, frustrated by her lack of exposure to other world perspectives, decided to read one work of fiction from each of the countries of the world during the course of one year.

https://go.ted.com/CjMW

All of the books Ms. Morgan read are listed on her blog.

ayearofreadingtheworld.com

So, I decided to read one book from her list before the end of the year and challenged everyone else who reads my blog to pick a book from an unfamiliar country and do the same. I had hoped to read the book representing Kyrgyzstan. It turns out that not only couldn't I find an English translation of the Kyrgyz book by Chyngyz Aitmatov, but I also couldn't find any English translations of any of Aitmatov's works.  Even worse, I couldn't even find a Kyrgyz or Russian copy of one of Aitmatov's books. Of course, I am completely unable to read a Kyrgyz or Russian copy, but I had somehow hoped that I could find one copy of Aitmatov's works somewhere in this country--in any language. Even the copy of Aitmatov's book in the UCA library collection seems to have disappeared without a trace. Sadly, I think it would be easier to find the Holy Grail in Kyrgyzstan than a copy of a book by Aitmatov on public display.

Having failed in my epic search, I decided to read a work from a writer of a different country. When I traveled to Istanbul, I was able to find Turkish books translated to English. And while I have been embarrassingly less ambitious than Ms. Morgan, I am proud to announce that I have completed reading four books for my personal "Reading the World" project, although only one of the four books is on her list.

The first book is by Orhan Pamuk, perhaps the greatest living Turkish writer, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2006. It is actually his memoir and is entitled Istanbul. It is an amazing look at the city, its history, and its stories as related through Pamuk's life as a young boy as he chronicles his growth into adulthood and ultimately his path to becoming a writer.  Because I had just visited Istanbul, the book resonated with me as it explained much of the city I had been exploring, but even more compelling is its description of how Pamuk's upbringing influenced his development as an author. Istanbul is also a chronicle of Turkey and how it has struggled in its attempt at becoming a modern, secular nation.

The second book I read is also by Orhan Pamuk and it is the work of fiction on the "Reading the World" list. It is entitled Snow and it is a spellbinding political thriller. It is an extraordinary work in that it describes the conflict between the secular and the Islamic in Turkey and it even anticipates and explains the current political upheaval in Turkey with as much insight as any work of journalism or academic analysis. It is also a text that struggles with questions of God, faith, and unbelief and serves as a remarkable theological reflection. It surely is one of the books that influenced the Nobel Prize committee to award Pamuk and it is, of the four books I read, the one that I recommend most highly.

Another interesting book is the intellectual biography of the founder of secular Turkey, Kemal Ataturk (written by Sukru Hanioglu). It is an unusual biography, in that it is not particularly concerned with the details of Ataturk's personal life, but rather the ideas that had an influence on his thoughts and actions. It excels as a biography because it provides the reader with an understanding of how prominent ideas and thinkers can guide the actions of important historical leaders and influence the course of history. It is another indispensable book for someone who wants to understand modern Turkey.

The final book I read has nothing to do with Turkey specifically, yet it is a book necessary for understanding Turkey, and the entire Islamic world. It is the Oxford Press's A Very Short Introduction to Islam by Malise Ruthven. Since moving to Kyrgyzstan, I realized how woefully inadequate my knowledge of Islam was, so I gladly purchased this small guide when I found it in the Istanbul Airport.  What makes Ruthven's explication so valuable is that it is designed for those completely unfamiliar with Islam and its goal is to explain the faith, not promote it. Even more essential is its explanation of concepts like jihad that too many Westerners misunderstand, distort, or misrepresent.  In today's overheated political environment, gaining an understanding of Islam is an urgent need so that we are not manipulated by the unscrupulous who are eager to take advantage of our fears and ignorance for their own personal or political gain. A Very Short Introduction to Islam should be required reading for all Christians and for anyone who holds opinions about our Islamic cousins.  Yes, it may be hard for some of you to believe, but we truly are cousins with Islam as there are quite a few interesting links and parallels between our two religions. It's amazing what a little reading and learning can show us.

With these four books, my personal "Reading the World" project allowed me to get a far more comprehensive understanding of Turkey than I could have ever imagined. I hope that each of you are able to take the time before the end of the year to read one of the books from the "Reading the World" project list. No matter how busy you are, I think you will find the small investment of time will pay you large dividends in understanding and insight. Now, I am off to continue my search for a book by Aitmatov or for some holy relic, each being equally difficult endeavors.