Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire, (Paperback)

from TadAD

If you're looking for a well-ordered and rigorous history of the Ottoman Empire, this isn't it. If you're looking for anecdotal tales that give a sense of the Ottoman Empire from its foundations on the steppes of Asia to its demise in the early 20th century, this might not be a bad choice. Goodwi...

from herschelian

If you are going to visit Istanbul or Turkey, this is a great book to read first as it puts the culture very much into perspective.

from wagner.sarah35

A good overview of an overlooked empire. While this is not a long history, the author nevertheless delves into the psyche of the Ottomans, giving the reader a picture into the Ottoman army, their cities, and the imperial family. This book provides a good overview of why the Ottomans rose in power...

from herschelian

If you are going to visit Istanbul or Turkey, this is a great book to read first as it puts the culture very much into perspective.

from Scapegoats

I found this to be generally entertaining, but poorly organized and only a little useful. The author's main point, if he has one, is that the Ottoman Empire was built on expansion and when that expansion stopped, the empire began to decay, albeit slowly. He puts the turning point at Suleyman the ...