Turkiye: Cycling Through a Country's First Century

Julian Emre Sayarer sets out to cycle across Türkiye, from the Aegean coast to the Armenian border, on the eve of its centenary year and elections that will shape the coming generations. The journey brings to life a living, breathing, cultural tapestry of the place where Asia, Africa, and Europe converge, and offers a clear-eyed view of Türkiye and its place in a changing world.

Format: Hardback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 12 October 2023
Publisher: Quercus Publishing

A captivating and meticulously researched book, presented in Sayarer's distinctive style from both the saddle and the roadside.

By the recipient of the Stanford Dolman Award for Travel Writing, this remarkable travelogue challenges your preconceptions of a destination and compels you to engage with the author's message.

Türkiye excels in achieving both of these goals.

Cycle Magazine We require writers who are willing to go the extra mile for a story and convey it with passion. Sayarer serves as an excellent example of this.

HORATIO CLARE On the brink of its centenary year and elections that will shape the future generations, Julian Emre Sayarer embarks on a cycling expedition across Türkiye, spanning from the Aegean coast to the Armenian border.

During his journey, Sayarer encounters Turkish farmers, workers, Syrian refugees, and Russians evading conscription, thereby bringing to life a vibrant and dynamic cultural tapestry that reflects the convergence of Asia, Africa, and Europe in this remarkable region.

The outcome is a heartfelt love letter to both Türkiye and its neighboring countries, offering a candid and insightful perspective on the country and its role in a rapidly evolving world.

However, the route is also tinged with tragedy, as Sayarer cycles along a major fault line just months before one of the most devastating earthquakes in the region's modern history.

Throughout his journey, Sayarer remains deeply engaged with the significant historical and political issues that shape his writing. He harnesses his bicycle and the encounters it facilitates on the roadside to bring everything back to a human level.

As his journey concludes, we are left with a deeper understanding of the country and the fundamental and universal nature of political power, both in Türkiye and in our own lives.

This travelogue serves as a compelling corrective to Western perspectives on a place that Sayarer holds dear.

Guardian

Weight: 626g
Dimension: 163 x 242 x 36 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781529429954