Turkey (Insight Guides) Paperback – April 1, 2011

Go to Turkey, it's the second Bible Land. most of the New Testament came from Turkey (Corinthians, Ephesians, Revelation, etc etc etc) but even if you're not much of a Bible scholar, there is Troy, Istanbul, and wonderful oriental markets. The people are polite and interested in you, Hotels are new and plush. Yet prices are still reasonable. This book is good for planning and for travel, but I took a tour with a small group which is ideal as far as I can see. Check out TUTKU tours. I have no business interests in them but I very much enjoyed their style.

I bought this book before I went to Turkey, read some of it, but decided it was a bit too heavy to carry in the luggage since we were going to be with an experienced in-country-guide. The relative weight is its only ( rather modest) downside. After the trip was over--and I recommend Turkey to all, but especially those Americans who are interested in getting a view of a highly secular but still 93% Muslim country that straddles Europe and Asia-- I decided to look at how well the book would have worked as a guide and found it to be very much on target and even filling in a few blanks that I did not learn 1st hand. Turkey is not a country to just blindly sign up to visit. Travelers are advised to read a few books--more than just travel books--to get a sense of the world that you are visiting. The language--a close relationship to Finnish--is beyond recognition for all but the most talented linguist but the people, the food, the available accommodations, and the sites are 2nd to none. Some reading about the Early periods of the Greeks and Romans, the follow-on Ottoman Empire, the rise of the Ataturk period starting in 1923, their role in WW 1, their posture as the "crossroads of the world" for commerce--all will help put what you are seeing in context--something that a tour book can't quite achieve.Following my trip, I decided to reread the Iliad and the Odyssey ( this time in English, not the Latin of my youth) and both epic poems took on a very different sense of time and place, particularly after having stood at the walls of Troy during the tour. All in all, I think a good book on a really interesting country.

I have read a number of different Insight Guides to countries we have visited. I have never been disappointed in any of them. The guide on Turkey gives the reader a good overview of the history, culture, and geography of the area as well as details for for what to see in the most visited areas. A good read before making a visit.

The book has good information but it is no Rick Steves guide book. We are Rick junkies and are used to the little bits of info one can ffind there.

A great overview of the country, but not very useful throughout the trip, except to use for small bits of information and highlights.

This is concise but extensive information about Turkey.Having been there 5 times, wish I had it from the beginning.