Ataturk: The Biography of the founder of Modern Turkey

Andrew Mango

Overlook, Aug 26, 2002 - Business & Economics - 539 pages

In this major new biography of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and the first to appear in English based on Turkish sources, Andrew Mango strips away the myth, to show the complexities of one of the most visionary, influential, and enigmatic statesmen of the century. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was virtually unknown until 1919, when he took the lead in thwarting the victorious Allies' plan to partition the Turkish core of the Ottoman Empire. He divided the Allies, defeated the last Sultan, and secured the territory of the Turkish national state, becoming the first president of the new republic in 1923, fast creating his own legend.

Andrew Mango's revealing portrait of Atatürk throws light on matters of great importance today-resurgent nationalism, religious fundamentalism, and the reality of democracy.

What people are saying

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - LynnB - LibraryThing

Ataturk was truly a leader to be admired for his vision, and for his accomplishments. This book is thoroughly researched and gives a good account of the man and the times he lived in. However, I found the writing style dry and not engaging.

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - Miro - LibraryThing

It's a cliche that Ataturk was the Founder of Modern Turkey but Mango puts some meaning into it by showing him stepping into the vacuum of collapsing Ottoman rule, defending the fledgling country and giving it a new Western/secular bias. An excellent book.

About the author

Andrew Mango was born in Istanbul, Turkey on June 14, 1926. During World War II, he got a job as a translator in the press office of the British Embassy in Ankara. He received a doctorate in Persian literature from London University's School of Oriental and African Studies. He worked at Bush House, then home to BBC World Service radio, initially for the Turkish and French language sections before becoming head of the South East European Service until he retired in 1986. He wrote several books on Turkey including Atatürk and From the Sultan to Atatürk. He died on July 7, 2014 at the age of 88.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Ataturk: The Biography of the founder of Modern Turkey
• Author: Andrew Mango
• Publisher: Overlook, 2002
• ISBN: 1590209249, 9781590209240
• Length: 539 pages
• Subjects: Business & Economics / Motivational