Editorial Review:
In this major new biography of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and the first to appear in English based on Turkish sources, Andrew Mango strips away the myth, to show the complexities of one of the most visionary, influential, and enigmatic statesmen of the century. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was virtually unknown until 1919, when he took the lead in thwarting the victorious Allies' plan to partition the Turkish core of the Ottoman Empire. He divided the Allies, defeated the last Sultan, and secured the territory of the Turkish national state, becoming the first president of the new republic in 1923, fast creating his own legend.
Andrew Mango's revealing portrait of Atatürk throws light on matters of great importance today-resurgent nationalism, religious fundamentalism, and the reality of democracy.
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Customer Reviews
Average Customer Rating: 
Great Subject; Pedestrian Writing  2008-07-23
Andrew Mango has obviously done a great deal of research into his fascinating subject. The book is a thorough history of the life and career of Mustapha Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. Even though he was autocratic in many respects, there can be no denying that he was a visionary who built a powerful modern Western nation out of the ruins of the Ottoman Empire. The current rulers of Turkey, specifically Erdogan and Gul, ought to spend some time acquainting themselves with Ataturk before plunging the country headlong down the Islamist path.
The main problem with the book is that Mango is not much of a writer. His prose is pedestrian, and he has no flair for narrative. Having read "1453" by Roger Crowley, the fascinating story of the fall of Constantinople, I know that history can be every bit as exciting as an adventure novel. Alas, "Ataturk" at times resembles a mere recitation of events in the protagonist's life.
So although I have given the book 5 stars, the reader should be aware that he/she is in for a long, hard slog at times.
A Tedious Apologetic for the Gazi Pasha and Turkce  2008-07-20
I found this book to be an exhaustive review of the almost day to day schedule of Mustapha Kemal throughout his life. Although extremely thorough, it is quite easy to get lost in the minutiae. The author dissects each vignette in excruciating detail in an attempt to separate fact from self-serving legend, but what little analysis is provided simply excuses or downplays the ruthlessness of the protagonist. Outright murder, exile and/or jailing of his political opponents such as journalists are excused with statements such as in any revolution, a few must fall by the wayside. Massacres and deportations of Armenians, Greeks, and Kurds are barely alluded to, while the author's main sympathies are revealed in statements such as "General Muglali's career ended sadly...he was courtmartialed for having ordered the shooting of thirty-three Kurdish tribesman" (p.477). Mustafa Kemal's curious habit of adopting "daughters" is noted throughout the text with barely a comment until the very end of the book when the author reveals that a black eunuch guards his harem, and one of his daughters, Atef, is in fact his "intimate companion". In my opinion, the best part of the book consists of the last several chapters, when the author summarizes the Gazi's career and his role in Turkish and world history. Unfortunately, it took 500 uncritical pages to get there.
Too Much History, Not Enough Phylosophy  2008-02-15
This is an excellent book for what it is---but it was not quite what I was looking for. Ataturk is a fascinating individual who dictated wideranging reforms. I wanted to know how and why he came by his phylosophies--other than he believed the church was a huge detriment to society.
This is a very detailed history, including names of associates, political intrigues, battles, who moved what troops where, etc, but short on the reforms and their reasons. For example, page 468, "An obedient assembly continued to pass laws imported from Europe: court procedure was reformed, the German commercial code and Swiss law on bankruptcy were adopted; agricultural cooperatives were established". This is the only mention of any of these important things in the entire book.
I'm certainly don't regret reading it and I learned a great deal. Now I need a book that goes into all the changed Ataturk made. If someone has a recommendation, pleas email me.
Too much of a good thing 2008-02-08
This book contains everything you ever wanted to know about Ataturk and much, much, much more. I found that the book devoted so much detail to essentially insignificant parts of Atturk's life that it diminished the story of his rise to power and his use of it to bring about enormous changes in Turkey in an amazingly short period of time.
This has GOT to be complete 2008-02-07
The author does a fine job in what is obviously a very thoroughly-researched and well-written work. The main thing I liked about this book is that it didn't just discuss a chronology of Ataturk's career but also looked into the ideas and influences which molded the future leader of the Turkish Republic. A little long at places, the book nevertheless makes sure the context of developments is known to the reader as well as the events themselves. While not destined to be a favorite book of mine I can certainly recommend it as a great work in this field of history.
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