Erdogan Rising: The Battle for the Soul of Turkey

The Battle for the Soul of Turkey

By: Hannah Lucinda Smith

‘Essential reading for anyone interested in Turkey and its future.’ Literary Review

‘Essential reading full stop.’ Peter Frankopan

‘It is a must.’ The Times

Who is Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and how did he lead a democracy on the fringe of Europe into dictatorship? How has chaos in the Middle East blown back over Turkey’s borders? And why doesn’t the West just cut Erdogan and his regime off?

Hannah Lucinda Smith has been living in Turkey as the Times correspondent for nearly a decade, reporting on the ground from the onset of the Arab Spring through terrorist attacks, mass protests, civil war, unprecedented refugee influx and the explosive, bloody 2016 coup attempt that threatened to topple – and kill – Erdogan.

Erdogan Rising introduces Turkey as a vital country, one that borders and buffers Western Europe, the Middle East and the old Soviet Union, marshals the second largest army in NATO and hosts more refugees than any other nation. As president, Erdogan is the face of devotion and division, a leader who mastered macho divide-and-rule politics a decade and a half before Donald Trump cottoned on, and has used it to lead his country into spiralling authoritarianism.

Yet Erdogan is no ordinary dictator. His elections are won only by slivers, and Turkey remains defined by its two warring cults: those who worship Erdogan, the wilful Muslim nationalist with a tightening authoritarian grip, and those who stand behind Ataturk, the secularist, westward-looking leader who founded the republic and remains its best loved icon – now eighty years dead.

Erdogan commands a following so devoted they compose songs in his honour, adorn their homes with his picture, and lay down their lives to keep him in power. Erdogan Rising asks how this century’s most successful populist won his position, and where Turkey is headed next.

Critic reviews

‘A brilliant guide, filled with insights … Not only essential reading for those wanting to understand contemporary Turkey, its politics and those of the wider region; essential reading full stop.’ Peter Frankopan

‘An engagingly written and factually scrupulous portrait … She captures his essence: the charisma and the paranoia, the skill of the political natural … Smith’s narrative has an empathetic and fair-minded grasp of Turkey’s colliding narratives … Full of dazzling cameos and incidental delights.’ Financial Times

'A comprehensive and nuanced account of Erdogan’s rule and the way he has ridden the tides of politics. For anyone interested in Turkey it is a must, but it also roams widely through the study of power and populism, full of revealing detail … Smith has a subtle intelligence; she deftly weaves the blowback from the collapse of Syria into her contemporary story … She writes very well, with an engaging mix of personal anecdote, acute observation, interviews and well-informed research; there’s no fat on this book and never a dull page.' Times

‘Fascinating … Much more than just a political biography … Essential reading.’ Literary Review

‘Does a brilliant job of revealing what has been going on in Turkey … Written in a lively and inviting style, her book records journeys throughout Turkey and its borders in search of those who can help to explain, or at least illuminate, Erdogan’s years in power.’ TLS

‘A fine book showing an aptitude to look way beyond the surface, and an eye for telling details which comes from her being an accomplished journalist based in Turkey’ Independent

‘One should begin by applauding Smith’s courage and determination in remaining in both Syria and Turkey during their upheavals and keeping her cool as a journalist … Could not be timelier … Excels in explaining elements of recent Turkish history.’ New Statesman

Overall fascinating profile of Erdogan’s Turkey

The book gives a interesting look inside Erdogan’s Turkey. The author provides quick profiles of key supporters and certain opponents of Erdogan, as well as laying out the political maneuverings of Erdogan. His populism has entrenched his supporters so deep in power that it will take the opposition years to dig out Erdogan’s machine. As an American there are some comparisons to be made with trump, particularly with his opponents. The democrats need to provide an actual alternative vision of America that appeals to the working class instead of being the no vote.

However, some nitpicks in some of the author’s descriptions. One is how she described the YPG military marches as North Korean-like. Personally I found it unnecessary to compare them to North Korea, I’ve seen their marches before and the YPG’s marches aren’t as choreographed as NK’s. I’d like to know why she thinks that they’re North Korean like? Second is when she described the Tsarnaev brothers as Kyrgyz. I had to double take on that because they were Chechen (despite being born in Kyrgyzstan) and identified as such.

Overall a good read.

Good introduction to Erdogan and present day Turkey’s political seen

Erdogan Rising provides a good overview of Erdogan, the man, and his rise to power. Smith includes profiles on a number of important figures including Atatürk, Davotoglu, Gullen, Öcalan, and a few others who have also shaped modern Turkey and Erdogan’s rise, or at least who shine light on Turkey’s present situation under Erdogan. Smith is a journalist so much of the book is a first person narrative. As such, it occasionally is a bit uneven in terms of its focus, with perhaps too much time devoted to her experience in Syria, as well as the relations between Turkey and her native UK. However, by capturing the stories of a diverse cast of characters (including Atatürk’s last remaining descendants, a man who has taken on a career as an Atatürk impersonator, the founder of Erdogan’s biggest mouthpiece in the media, a member of Turkey’s tiny Jewish community), Smith is able to give a reader a feeling of what Turkey is like in a way that a history book or political sketch cannot. Additionally, her narrating of her work is quite strong with a lot of authenticity in her voice. As someone who did not know much about Turkey before, I recommend this book if someone wants to get an introductory taste of one of the region’s and the world’s most important and fascinating figures as well as the country he increasingly rules with an iron fist.

Portrait of Modern-Day Turkey

As subtitle suggests, this is more of a portrait of the country than of Erdogan himself. He is brought into focus at key parts, but there are long stretches where his name isn't mentioned at all. Chapters cover a range of topics having to do with Turkey in the Erdogan era: border issues with Syria, the plight of Kurds and other minorities, Turkey's ambivalent relationship with the rest of Europe and the U.S., etc. I listened to it while on a trip to Turkey and it helped me to get a feeling for the country. A lot to what the author says was corroborated by the people I talked with. Her narration is great. I loved her voice, very easy to listen to. Sometimes, having the author narrate his or her own work can be a disaster, but in this case it was perfect.

Better than I thought it was going to be

The author dances around being a journalist thus impartial versus being a woman, a feminist, a Westerner, an individual, an investigator, a political oracle, a member of the oppressed, and a member of the elite as she tries to make her points.

the author freaks me out a bit because I don't know if I can trust her work, not that need to because I lived in Turkey for 13+ years and speak Turkish at a native level. I don't know if I can trust her because she has brought up some very good points in her book about Turkey but then she calls the United States a liberal democracy which thank God it has never been and will never be. US is a constitutional republic. This is very basic, yet she misses it, but she knows Adnan Menderes' upbringing quite well.

Self contradictory at times but, as I said it is much better than I thought it was going to be. Turkey is not an easy subject.

Quite Good

Fascinating and well told story about, not just Erdogan, but also modern Turkish politics and identity.