Book transported me to Istanbul, one of my favorite cities. I imagine what it would be like to travel to Istanbul and now have a much richer history and knowledge of this city

This was a very interesting and comprehensive history of Istanbul; the bibliography is quite extensive. The author tells the tale of the city through the terrain, the people (leaders, conquerors, political figures, entertainers, residents), the buildings, and the various events that shaped the city. One of the things I particularly liked is that the author would often identify where in modern Istanbul certain old buildings or monuments (or the ruins) could be found. Some of the buildings, monuments, or ruins are known tourist destinations or places that many residents would know about, but other locations are such that many residents might not even realize the significance of what lies nearby or beneath their feet.

As a historian and bibliophile, I was surprised and pleased to learn that in the fourth century AD, Constantinople/Istanbul was seen as the greatest repository of knowledge in the world. As the author stated, "Constantinople understood that a physical accumulation of knowledge worked as a lodestone -- drawing in respect, talent and sheer awe." It was also interesting to learn how well various ethnic groups and religious groups were integrated into the city for many centuries of Muslim rule (of course, modern day Istanbul and Turkey are not as open and understanding), although some restrictions were applied to non-Muslims. The history of the Janissaries is quite interesting and surprising, but I will leave that for the reader to discover.

I had not really thought about this fact, but with Istanbul having, as the author stated, direct access to the Caucasus, Middle and Near East, Central Asia, Russia, the Balkans, and North Africa, it was an intelligence hub in the 19th and early 20th centuries. "In between the two World Wars it was said that you could stand at any hotel window in Istanbul, throw a stone, and somewhere in the street you would hit a spy." I was surprised to learn that during World War I, the British, French, and Russians had agreed that Istanbul would be handed over to Russia if they won the war; it was the Russian Revolution in 1917 that prevented that agreement from being implemented.

I read a copy of the e-book via NetGalley.

This left me in awe of the big city.
I was amazed by the different histories and cultures and it made me appreciate Istanbul even more.
Very interesting and captivating

I found this to be so interesting. Learned a ton and filled in gaps in my knowledge. Everyone should really read this. Understanding the history of the important cities is vital. Well done.

“But of course, the idea of Istanbul is exponentially bigger than her footprint.”

4.5 Stars

Coming in at 800 pages (although the last chunk is notes and the bibliography), this comprehensive history book may seem daunting, but it reads well and details so many fascinating things that it feels half as long. Bettany Hughes delves into the deep, rich history of Istanbul chronologically, mixing culture, religion, and war to create a vivid picture.

“In terms of both historical fact and written histories this place reminds us why we are compelled to connect, to communicate, to exchange. But also to change.”

I read books like this and realize how ignorant and little I know of the world and its history (and geography). Istanbul (nee Constantinople, nee Byzantium) took center stage many times over history:

“The Milion marks out distance, and it marks the moment when Byzantium truly becomes a topographical and cultural reference point shared by East and West.”
...
“And so the city of Constantinople was founded on dreams, faith and hope, but also on ambition and blood.”
...
“Istanbul is not where East meets West, but where East and West look hard and longingly at one another, sometimes nettled by what they see yet interested to learn that they share dreams, stories, and blood.”

I highlighted many portions of this monograph; it is so rich in information and much of it beautifully written (especially for nonfiction). This is definitely a book I’ll refer back to and re-skim.

“Istanbul is a settlement that, in her finest form, produces, promote and protects the vital, hopeful notion that, wherever and whoever we end up, we understand that although humanity has many faces we share one human heart- to know Istanbul is to know what it is to be cosmopolitan- this is a city that reminds us that we are, indeed, citizens of the world.”

Just wow.

If you love any kind of history, this book is for you. Yes, it's dense. Yes, it's long. But Hughes' style of prose is luxurious and so much more enjoyable that similarly long and dense histories I've read before. The research that went into this book is clearly displayed on every page. When you finish it, Istanbul remains with you.

My favorite thing about this book is how Istanbul is the protagonist, changing over time, weaving in bits of its past as a new future is thrust upon it. It's geography alone makes for such a fantastic set-up for what happens over time. And, all the civilizations that have grown and fallen within those walls. Hughes takes a sweeping but detailed view of the whole process.

Of course, as with any book with such breadth, it took me a while to get through but the length of time was worth the learning I got from it. And I enjoyed Hughes writing so much, I can't wait to pick up one of her other works.

Note: I received a free Kindle edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher Perseus Books - Da Capo Press, and the author Bethany Hughes for the opportunity to do so.

Well-researched, but difficult to read.  There is so much history to Istanbul that it was hard to keep it all straight.  Still, such an important location deserves an important history.  This seems to be it.

This book is a tour de force about the history and culture of the city where east meets west. I enjoyed they detailed narrative and was enthralled and transported while reading it.

This massive work by Bethany Hughes visits what must be the vast majority of Byzantine settlements all over the world as Hughes uncovers the wonders that were Byzantium/Constantinople/Istanbul. Art, architecture, literature, commerce, social history, politics, fashion, religion: the subjects tackled cover the spectrum of life in the city by the Bosporus from hundreds of years BC to the present. Note that the detailed timeline provided in the back is a useful reference as you travel through the history of the city. Be prepared to settle in for a long engagement with this book, but one that is very rewarding if you want to understand more about the role of this city which is so central to the politically turbulent region in which it stands.

A well detailed, well researched, examination of the city, the people, and the history of Istanbul. Hughes's interest and knowledge in her subject leaps from the pages making this long tome a joy to read. I never got bogged down or lost interest the entire read.

Book: Istanbul
Author: Bettany Hughes
Rating: 3 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, for providing me with this galley.

I have loved Bettany Hughes’s work for a few years now. It started with her Ancient Worlds series and Helen of Troy book. Whenever I heard she was writing a new book, I was thrilled. I just knew that I was going to have to read it. While Istanbul does have the same magic that her other works do, I found it not to be as thrilling. I don’t know why, but there was just something missing from it.

I loved the amount of detail that she put into her writing. She is very knowledgeable about Istanbul and gives us a lot of depth about the city. I really do feel like she didn’t leave anything out and paints a wonderful picture of the city’s past. I just felt like there was so much in this book that I feel like I really don’t need to read another book on Istanbul to find out more about the city.

This is a history book and is not really a light read. It does read and feel like a history book. It is very clear that Bettany is a historian and she is sharing with you all that she has learned about this amazing city. She starts us out in prehistoric times and takes up through the modern city. She covers a number of topics and it really doesn’t feel like she has left anything out.

I loved how balanced everything was. It seemed like every time in history got the same amount of time as another. There was so much detail on each subject as well-I feel like I’m saying that a lot. She really does take a balanced approach, even if the flow was a little off. I don’t know if the flow is in the finished version or not, but in the ARC version there seems to be problems with the flow. Some of the stories are in rather odd places that just didn’t make any sense.

So, if you are looking for a one stop shop for everything on Istanbul, then this is the book for you!