Focusing on the history of reform attempts within the Ottoman Empire, the narrative explores the significant internal and external challenges faced during this period. It details how imperialist pressures and violent janissary revolts obstructed progress, leading to a mix of governance successes and notable failures. Ultimately, these struggles played a critical role in the Empire's decline, culminating in its dissolution following the First World War.
The collection features seventeen short stories centered on everyday individuals encountered in common settings like supermarkets and waiting rooms. These characters, seemingly ordinary and unremarkable, confront extraordinary situations that temporarily elevate their lives or reveal hidden depths. The narratives explore the transient nature of these experiences, highlighting the profound moments that can arise in the midst of routine existence.
The book tells the story of a young man, a graduate of the University of Istanbul whose ambition is to become a professor. A committed socialist at a young age, he is ill treated in his own country. He completes his compulsory military service in his native land and leaves for the United States to further his education. Thereafter he moves to the University of Edinburgh where he earns a Ph.D. in economics. He decides never to return to Turkey, moves back to the United States, becomes an accomplished scholar and eventually discovers his true economic and political free market economy and moderate conservatism. After retiring from academic life, he now works as consultant to international organizations and resides in Washington, DC. He is also a prolific writer and poet. His historical novel Farewell Homeland was published in the United States in March 2009.