![Without a Country by [Ayse Kulin, Kenneth Dakan]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51O33m-R0ML._SY346_.jpg)
By the early 1930s, Gerhard Schliemann knows that his family is no longer safe living in Germany because they are Jewish. He eventually finds employment in Turkey and soon his wife and two children join him and attempt to adapt to life in their new country. This is a historical fiction book that not only follows generations of a family from the 1930s to present day but also the country of Turkey as it undergoes massive changes throughout the years.
What really drew me into the book was the setting of Turkey as it's not a country that is usually represented in WW2 historical fiction. It was almost like a character itself because so much of what was going on in the country affected the actions of other characters. And while only part of the book takes place during the war, the author did a fine job in showing how relevant that time period is even in today's times.
I really enjoyed watching this family throughout the years as they dealt with heartache, love, and betrayal and all the other stuff one experiences in life. They might have all been related by blood but each person forged their own unique path in life.
My only real complaint about the book is I thought there was one story line that had too much of a soap opera quality to it. It felt unnecessary and added just for drama's sake.
Would recommend this book if you enjoy historical fiction and/or family dramas.
World War II scattered families across the globe, with only the luckiest remaining together in their new homes. In this poignant, timely novel, we meet the Jewish scientists who move from Germany to Istanbul to develop their vision of the world’s best universities. Based on the true story of neuropathologist professor Philipp Schwartz, Without a Country tells the story of one family’s migration, with all the challenges and triumphs of laying down roots in a new land.
Gerhard and Elsa face challenges settling in, but their daughter, Susy, was born and raised in Istanbul, this “city of surprises and unexpected beauty, a city that made one grateful to be alive.” Through the novel, we experience not only the trials of adapting to a new culture but also the delights of discovery. Watching her grow up speaking Turkish in school, surrounded by Muslim friends, we fully understand why Susy considers herself more a Turk than a Jew. But how can one family contain such multitudes, with language, religion, and nationality pulling them apart?
In today’s world of mass migration and conflicting views on immigration, it is fascinating to look back on the Jewish diaspora and to see how this family evolves. This beautiful saga offers lessons in compassion and grace in an ever-changing world.
Gerhard and Elsa face challenges settling in, but their daughter, Susy, was born and raised in Istanbul, this “city of surprises and unexpected beauty, a city that made one grateful to be alive.” Through the novel, we experience not only the trials of adapting to a new culture but also the delights of discovery. Watching her grow up speaking Turkish in school, surrounded by Muslim friends, we fully understand why Susy considers herself more a Turk than a Jew. But how can one family contain such multitudes, with language, religion, and nationality pulling them apart?
In today’s world of mass migration and conflicting views on immigration, it is fascinating to look back on the Jewish diaspora and to see how this family evolves. This beautiful saga offers lessons in compassion and grace in an ever-changing world.
- Gabriella Page-Fort, Editor
