Tales from the Expat Harem: Foreign Women in Modern Turkey

Tales from the Expat Harem is a lovingly produced book that probably gives a more rounded, fully fleshed-out view of Turkey than any book has managed before. It achieves this through narratives from 29 women who have made Turkey their home, either for a time or permanently, in locations scattered throughout the country. (A helpful map in the front shows each city or village where stories take place.) About half married a Turk. The others were in a relationship that didn't fly, were trying to figure out how to date there, or were trying to navigate life as a single in a country where being alone is seen as a bit odd and sad. This variety of place and experience allows a deeper look into the culture than usual. The quality of the writing is uniformly high, despite the fact that many of the contributors were amateur writers coaxed--and carefully edited--by Ashman and Gökmen. The two editors each contribute a tale as well: Ashman with a description of her opulent, high-society Istanbul wedding, and Gökmen with a story about giving her Turkish language skills a workout as she takes a road trip with her American mother. For anyone who wants to get a real feel for what it's like to marry into a foreign culture, or to see how daily life works out while settling into another land, this is an engaging and masterful collection.

This book gives magical insight from the perspective of foreign women living and working in Turkey. I would especially recommend this anthology to those who may hold erroneous stereotypes about the Turkey and its treatment of women. So, if you are still saying: "Turkey!? Didn't you see that movie "Midnight Express!?" please, please read this book. You will be amazed and enchanted to discover a people and a culture of hospitality, warmth, and reverence for the female spirit.

As the father of an expat, I have often wondered just what it is that motivates one to leave home to live in foreign lands. This book gave me the first real insight into expat's awareness of their surroundings; those things that we who stayed home take for granted. There is a sense of mystery, awe and enchantment with everyday living that I never realized before.

I read "Expat Harem" just days after its release in Istanbul, and immediately felt an injection of positivity and rejunvenation in my choice to live in Turkey. Having been in Turkey these past 3.5 years, I thought I had seen and experienced quite a bit of Turkish life and culture, but reading this book opened my eyes to all kinds of new possibilities that are still waiting for me. It's an inspiring collection of the adventures and observations that a medley of women from different nationalities and backgrounds experienced in the past three decades, from touring around Turkey in the 70's to personal accounts of family traditions and even superstitions. I especially enjoyed one woman's account of her neighbours' generosity when she was sick for days and couldn't leave her apartment. They came over in a large group, to stoke up the fire in her woodstove, to clean up her house, to change the sheets on her bed and to make her a healthy breakfast, all in the name of fellow-compassion. When she asked them how they knew she was sick, they told her that they had noticed her absence for a few days and were worried about her. This is just one sample of Turkish caring and hospitality found in this book. I thoroughly loved reading this book for reminding me of all the positive aspects of living in this wonderful country.

I loved this book! It certainly opened my eyes to views of another country. After reading about all of these women's wonderful experiences with the Turkish people and the beautiful land, I am absolutely interested in taking a trip to Turkey in the future. It's a wonderful compilation! I couldn't put it down!