Download or read book Turkish Humor Jokes and Anecdotes written by Wander Stories and published by WanderStories. This book was released on 2014-01-06 with total page 18 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dear Traveler, Welcome to the WanderStories™ story about Turkish Humor, Jokes, and Anecdotes. There are three different kinds of jokes and anecdotes we will discuss. They are those that have been inspired by Nasreddin Hoca, Turkish fikra about Temel and Dursun, and then the traditional art of shadow theater. We, at WanderStories™, are storytellers. We don’t tell you where to eat or sleep, we don’t intend to replace a typical travel reference guide. Our mission is to be the best local guide that you would wish to have by your side when visiting the sights. So, we meet you at the sight and take you on a tour. WanderStories™ travel guides are unique because our storytelling style puts you alongside the best local guide who tells you fascinating stories and unusual facts recreating the passion and sacrifice that forged the beauty of these places right here in front of you, while a wealth of high quality photos, historic pictures, and illustrations brings your tour vividly to life. Our promise: • when you visit Istanbul with this travel guide you will have the best local guide at your fingertips • when you read this travel guide in the comfort of your armchair you will feel as if you are actually visiting Istanbul with the best local guide Let’s go! Your guide, WanderStories

Download or read book So Turkish written by Wander Stories and published by WanderStories. This book was released on 2015-01-19 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dear Traveler, Welcome to the WanderStories™ guide to Turkish cuisine, hammam, traditions and customs, holidays and festivals, humor and jokes, Islam in Turkey, and traditional Turkish handicrafts. We, at WanderStories™, are storytellers. We don’t tell you where to eat or sleep, we don’t intend to replace a typical travel reference guide. Our mission is to be the best local guide that you would wish to have by your side when visiting the sights. So, we meet you at the sight and take you on a tour. WanderStories™ travel guides are unique because our storytelling style puts you alongside the best local guide who tells you fascinating stories and unusual facts recreating the passion and sacrifice that forged the beauty of these places right here in front of you, while a wealth of high quality photos, historic pictures, and illustrations brings your tour vividly to life. Our promise: • when you visit Turkey with this travel guide you will have the best local guide at your fingertips • when you read this travel guide in the comfort of your armchair you will feel as if you are actually visiting Turkey with the best local guide Let’s go! Your guide, WanderStories

Download or read book Culture and Customs of Turkey written by Rafis Abazov and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2009-03-05 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With exhaustive coverage on one of the world's most diverse and exciting countries, Culture and Customs of Turkey is an essential addition to high school and public library shelves. Illustrative accounts of past traditions help readers to understand contemporary culture today, covering such customs as religious beliefs, folklore, gender issues, art, performing arts, cuisine, and festivals. Students will learn how Turkey has become culturally rich and diverse, mixing Western and Eastern traditions to form a unique bridge between Europe and Asia. This latest volume in the Culture and Customs of Europe series is a must-have for high school students studying world history and culture, as well as for general readers interested in global hotspots. Swirling with both Western and Eastern traditions, sitting on the edge of the war in the Middle East, Turkey is one of the world's cultural and political hotspots.With exhaustive coverage on one of the world's most diverse and exciting countries, Culture and Customs of Turkey is an essential addition to high school and public library shelves. Illustrative accounts of past traditions help readers to understand contemporary culture today, covering such customs as religious beliefs, folklore, gender issues, art, performing arts, cuisine, and festivals. Students will learn how Turkey has become culturally rich and diverse, mixing Western and Eastern traditions to form a unique bridge between Europe and Asia. This latest volume in the Culture and Customs of Europe series is a must-have for high school students studying world history and culture, as well as for general readers interested in global hotspots.

Download or read book How to Tell a Joke written by Marcus Tullius Cicero and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2021-03-30 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Timeless advice about how to use humor to win over any audience Can jokes win a hostile room, a hopeless argument, or even an election? You bet they can, according to Cicero, and he knew what he was talking about. One of Rome’s greatest politicians, speakers, and lawyers, Cicero was also reputedly one of antiquity’s funniest people. After he was elected commander-in-chief and head of state, his enemies even started calling him “the stand-up Consul.” How to Tell a Joke provides a lively new translation of Cicero’s essential writing on humor alongside that of the later Roman orator and educator Quintilian. The result is a timeless practical guide to how a well-timed joke can win over any audience. As powerful as jokes can be, they are also hugely risky. The line between a witty joke and an offensive one isn’t always clear. Cross it and you’ll look like a clown, or worse. Here, Cicero and Quintilian explore every aspect of telling jokes—while avoiding costly mistakes. Presenting the sections on humor in Cicero’s On the Ideal Orator and Quintilian’s The Education of the Orator, complete with an enlightening introduction and the original Latin on facing pages, How to Tell a Joke examines the risks and rewards of humor and analyzes basic types that readers can use to write their own jokes. Filled with insight, wit, and examples, including more than a few lawyer jokes, How to Tell a Joke will appeal to anyone interested in humor or the art of public speaking.

Download or read book Istanbul Tour Guide Top 10 written by Wander Stories and published by WanderStories. This book was released on 2013-12-30 with total page 1098 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dear Traveler, Welcome to the WanderStories™ tour of the top 10 sights in Istanbul: Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar, Dolmabahçe Palace, the Chora Church, the Süleymaniye Mosque, the Basilica Cistern, the Istanbul Archaeological Museum, and the Galata Tower. We are now ready to take you on your personal tour of these world famous landmarks. We will also tell you additional stories about Istanbul’s history, Turkish traditions and customs, holidays, Turkish hammam, cuisine, jokes, Islam in Turkey, and traditional Turkish handicrafts. We, at WanderStories™, are storytellers. We don’t tell you where to eat or sleep, we don’t intend to replace a typical travel reference guide. Our mission is to be the best local guide that you would wish to have by your side when visiting the sights. So, we meet you at the sight and take you on a tour. WanderStories™ travel guides are unique because our storytelling style puts you alongside the best local guide who tells you fascinating stories and unusual facts recreating the passion and sacrifice that forged the beauty of these places right here in front of you, while a wealth of high quality photos, historic pictures, and illustrations brings your tour vividly to life. Our promise: • when you visit these top 10 sights in Istanbul with this travel guide you will have the best local guide at your fingertips • when you read this travel guide in the comfort of your armchair you will feel as if you are actually visiting these top 10 sights in Istanbul with the best local guide The city that we now know as Istanbul has been known by many different names throughout its long history. It was founded in 667 B.C.E. as Byzantium. Then, in 330, the Roman Emperor Constantine I christened it as New Rome. Later, it would come to bear his own name and be known as Constantinople, which was then rendered into Arabic languages as Kostantiniyye, which the Ottomans also adopted. The city was destined to finally be known in our modern age as Istanbul, derived from a Greek phrase meaning, simply, to the city. So much has changed over the time those names spanned that it seems impossible they could possibly refer to only one city. Yet they do, and the city of Istanbul is still a vibrant place that treasures the artifacts of the various peoples who once lived here and knew it by such different names. One phrase has also been used to name the city: “The City of the World’s Desire.” If judges could pick the most appropriate name for the city, perhaps they would choose this one, as it reflects most accurately how famous and how loved the city has been since antiquity. The face of Istanbul has changed considerably inside the modern nation. Justinian’s masterpiece, the Hagia Sophia, was turned into a museum and its wonderful mosaics were revealed to the world once more in 1935. Two bridges now span the Bosporus, and along with the historic skyline of the old city there are now also skyscrapers. Today, the city’s importance in world history is indisputable, and it is difficult to believe that all of this long history concerns just one city. There is only one thing to do now – visit! Let’s go! Your guide, WanderStories

Download or read book Istanbul Tour Guide Top 3 written by Wander Stories and published by WanderStories. This book was released on 2013-08-14 with total page 763 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dear Traveler, Welcome to the WanderStories™ tour of the top 3 sights in Istanbul: Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia, and the Blue Mosque. We are now ready to take you on your personal tour of these world famous landmarks. We will also tell you additional stories about Istanbul’s history, Turkish traditions and customs, holidays, Turkish hammam, cuisine, jokes, Islam in Turkey, and traditional Turkish handicrafts. We, at WanderStories™, are storytellers. We don’t tell you where to eat or sleep, we don’t intend to replace a typical travel reference guide. Our mission is to be the best local guide that you would wish to have by your side when visiting the sights. So, we meet you at the sight and take you on a tour. WanderStories™ travel guides are unique because our storytelling style puts you alongside the best local guide who tells you fascinating stories and unusual facts recreating the passion and sacrifice that forged the beauty of these places right here in front of you, while a wealth of high quality photos, historic pictures, and illustrations brings your tour vividly to life. Our promise: • when you visit these top 3 sights in Istanbul with this travel guide you will have the best local guide at your fingertips • when you read this travel guide in the comfort of your armchair you will feel as if you are actually visiting these top 3 sights in Istanbul with the best local guide The city that we now know as Istanbul has been known by many different names throughout its long history. It was founded in 667 B.C.E. as Byzantium. Then, in 330, the Roman Emperor Constantine I christened it as New Rome. Later, it would come to bear his own name and be known as Constantinople, which was then rendered into Arabic languages as Kostantiniyye, which the Ottomans also adopted. The city was destined to finally be known in our modern age as Istanbul, derived from a Greek phrase meaning, simply, to the city. So much has changed over the time those names spanned that it seems impossible they could possibly refer to only one city. Yet they do, and the city of Istanbul is still a vibrant place that treasures the artifacts of the various peoples who once lived here and knew it by such different names. One phrase has also been used to name the city: “The City of the World’s Desire.” If judges could pick the most appropriate name for the city, perhaps they would choose this one, as it reflects most accurately how famous and how loved the city has been since antiquity. The face of Istanbul has changed considerably inside the modern nation. Justinian’s masterpiece, the Hagia Sophia, was turned into a museum and its wonderful mosaics were revealed to the world once more in 1935. Two bridges now span the Bosporus, and along with the historic skyline of the old city there are now also skyscrapers. Today, the city’s importance in world history is indisputable, and it is difficult to believe that all of this long history concerns just one city. There is only one thing to do now – visit! Let’s go! Your guide, WanderStories

Download or read book Folk Tales from Turkey written by F.T. Weaver and published by WEST AGORA INT S.R.L.. This book was released on 2024-10-29 with total page 129 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the Enchantment of Turkey’s Most Treasured Folk Tales Step into a world where cleverness outsmarts brute strength, where love breaks the most powerful curses, and where seven brothers unite to vanquish a fearsome giant. Folk Tales from Turkey: Legends of Cleverness, Courage, and Magic is a captivating collection of Turkey's most beloved folk tales, brought together in a beautifully crafted volume that will transport readers to a land rich in history, wisdom, and wonder. In this first installment of our Folk Tales from Turkey series, readers of all ages will embark on thrilling adventures alongside unforgettable characters: the quick-witted Nasreddin Hodja, whose humor and wisdom illuminate life’s mysteries; Keloglan, the clever bald-headed boy who triumphs against all odds; and the brave seven brothers who must outwit a formidable giant to save their village. These timeless stories, steeped in the vibrant landscapes and rich cultural heritage of Turkey, offer profound lessons and insights that resonate across generations. A Treasure Trove of Timeless Wisdom More than just tales, these stories are the distilled teachings of human culture, filled with profound knowledge and timeless wisdom. They are a joy to read, with universal themes of bravery, cleverness, and the eternal struggle between good and evil. Perfect for readers of all ages, these folk tales are not only entertaining but also serve as a bridge to understanding the culture from which they originate. Folk tales are the foundation of human storytelling, offering a unique window into the values, hopes, and fears of a people. Understanding a culture is best done through the stories it tells, and in this volume, you’ll find a rich tapestry of Turkish tradition, ready to be passed down and cherished for generations to come. A Must-Have for Any Library or Bookshelf We envision this collection as a treasure that any library or bookshelf can hold and pass on to future generations—so they too can be inspired and draw teachings from our ancestors' stories. Whether you’re a lover of mythology, a seeker of adventure, or a parent wanting to introduce your children to the wonders of storytelling. Folk Tales from Turkey is more than just a book; it’s a journey into the heart of a culture, a celebration of the art of storytelling, and a preservation of a priceless cultural heritage. Add this volume to your collection today and become a part of the timeless tradition of folk tales that continue to inspire and teach us about the world and ourselves. Key Features: Epic Turkish Legends: Immerse yourself in the rich folklore of Turkey, with stories that have been passed down through generations, capturing the essence of the nation’s mythological heritage. Perfect for All Ages: With stories that are as entertaining as they are educational, this collection is suitable for readers young and old, offering something for everyone. Cultural Insight: Gain a deeper understanding of Turkish culture and values through interpretations and analyses of the folk tales that have shaped the nation’s identity. Beautifully Crafted: Designed to be a timeless keepsake, this book is a treasure that will enhance any personal library or bookshelf. A pleasure to read, filled with profound timeless knowledge and teachings, this collection is suited for all ages. Folk tales are the foundation of human storytelling, and understanding a culture is best done through the stories they tell. We see folk tales as distilled teachings of human culture—their value is unfathomable, a cultural inheritance that should be cherished and preserved. We envision this collection as a treasure that will inspire and educate future generations, preserving the wisdom and wonder of our ancestors' stories.

Download or read book The Turkish Jester Or the Pleasantries of Cogia Nasr Eddin Effendi written by George Henry Borrow and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-06-06 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story goes, one of the stories of a hundred, that Cogia Nasr Eddin Efendi one day ascending into the pulpit to preach, said, 'O believers, do ye not know what I am going to say to you?' The congregation answered, 'Dear Cogia Efendi, we do not know.' Then said the Cogia, 'What shall I say to you until you do know?' One day the Cogia ascending again into the pulpit, said, 'O Mussulmen, do ye not know what I am going to say to you?' 'We do know, ' they replied. Then said the Cogia, 'Some of ye do know already, what should I have to say to you?' Then descending from the chair he went out. The assembly separated quite astonished, and, when they were out, continued to say, 'Which are those of us who know? Which are those who do not know?' The Cogia one day again mounting the chair in the same manner, said, 'O brothers, when I said to ye, "Do you know what I shall say?" there were some who said, "We know," others said, "We do not." It were now well that those among ye who knew what the Cogia said should teach those that did not.'

Download or read book Istanbul Tour Guide Top 5 written by Wander Stories and published by WanderStories. This book was released on 2013-03-05 with total page 781 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dear Traveler, Welcome to the WanderStories™ tour of the top 5 sights in Istanbul: Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar, and Dolmabahçe Palace. We are now ready to take you on your personal tour of these world famous landmarks. We will also tell you additional stories about Istanbul’s history, Turkish traditions and customs, holidays, Turkish hammam, cuisine, jokes, Islam in Turkey, and traditional Turkish handicrafts. We, at WanderStories™, are storytellers. We don’t tell you where to eat or sleep, we don’t intend to replace a typical travel reference guide. Our mission is to be the best local guide that you would wish to have by your side when visiting the sights. So, we meet you at the sight and take you on a tour. WanderStories™ travel guides are unique because our storytelling style puts you alongside the best local guide who tells you fascinating stories and unusual facts recreating the passion and sacrifice that forged the beauty of these places right here in front of you, while a wealth of high quality photos, historic pictures, and illustrations brings your tour vividly to life. Our promise: • when you visit these top 5 sights in Istanbul with this travel guide you will have the best local guide at your fingertips • when you read this travel guide in the comfort of your armchair you will feel as if you are actually visiting these top 5 sights in Istanbul with the best local guide The city that we now know as Istanbul has been known by many different names throughout its long history. It was founded in 667 B.C.E. as Byzantium. Then, in 330, the Roman Emperor Constantine I christened it as New Rome. Later, it would come to bear his own name and be known as Constantinople, which was then rendered into Arabic languages as Kostantiniyye, which the Ottomans also adopted. The city was destined to finally be known in our modern age as Istanbul, derived from a Greek phrase meaning, simply, to the city. So much has changed over the time those names spanned that it seems impossible they could possibly refer to only one city. Yet they do, and the city of Istanbul is still a vibrant place that treasures the artifacts of the various peoples who once lived here and knew it by such different names. One phrase has also been used to name the city: “The City of the World’s Desire.” If judges could pick the most appropriate name for the city, perhaps they would choose this one, as it reflects most accurately how famous and how loved the city has been since antiquity. The face of Istanbul has changed considerably inside the modern nation. Justinian’s masterpiece, the Hagia Sophia, was turned into a museum and its wonderful mosaics were revealed to the world once more in 1935. Two bridges now span the Bosporus, and along with the historic skyline of the old city there are now also skyscrapers. Today, the city’s importance in world history is indisputable, and it is difficult to believe that all of this long history concerns just one city. There is only one thing to do now – visit! Let’s go! Your guide, WanderStories

Download or read book Faces of the State written by Yael Navaro-Yashin and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2020-06-16 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Faces of the State is a penetrating study of the production of a state-revering political culture in the public life of 1990s Turkey. In this new contribution to the anthropology of the state, Yael Navaro-Yashin brings recent poststructuralist and psychoanalytic theory to bear on the study of the political. Delving deeper than studies of nationalist discourse that would focus on consciously articulated narratives of political identity, the author explores sites of "fantasy" in the public-political domain of Istanbul. The book focuses on the conflict over secularism in the aftermath of an Islamist victory in the city's municipalities. In contrast with studies that would problematize and objectify religious movements, the author examines the agency of secularists under a state widely known for its "secularist" policies. The complexity and dynamism of the context studied moves well beyond scholarly distinctions between "secularity" and "religion," as well as "state" and "society." Here, secularism and Islamism emerge as different guises for a culture of statism where people from "society" compete to claim "Turkish culture" for themselves and their life practices. With this work that stretches the boundaries of regionalism, the author situates her anthropological study of Turkey not only in scholarship on the Middle East, but also in the broader problem of thinking "Europe" anew.

Download or read book The First Book of Jewish Jokes written by Elliott Oring and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2018-09-04 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Works on Jewish humor and Jewish jokes abound today, but what formed the basis for our contemporary notions of Jewish jokes? How and when did these perceptions develop? In this groundbreaking study and translation, noted humor and folklore scholar Elliott Oring introduces us to the joke collections of Lippmann Moses Büschenthal, an enlightened rabbi, and an unknown author writing as "Judas Ascher." Originally published in German in 1812 and 1810, these books include jokes and anecdotes that play on stereotypes. The jokes depict Jews dealing with Gentiles who are bent on their conversion, Jews encountering government officials and institutions, newly propertied Jews attempting to demonstrate their acquisition of artistic and philosophical knowledge, and Jews engaged in trade and moneylending—often with the aim to defraud. In these jokes we see the antecedents of modern Jewish humor, and in Büschenthal's brief introduction we find perhaps the earliest theory of the Jewish joke. Oring provides helpful annotations for the jokes and contextualizing essays that examine the current state of Jewish joke scholarship and the situation of the Jews in France and Germany leading up to the periods when the two collections were published. Intended to stimulate the search for even earlier examples, Oring challenges us to confront the Jewish joke from a genuine historical perspective.

Download or read book Littell s Living Age written by Eliakim Littell and published by . This book was released on 1877 with total page 832 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Rak The Spirit of Turkey written by Erdir Zat and published by Overteam Yayınları. This book was released on 2012 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ödüllü Rakı Ansiklopedisi’nin yayın yönetmeni Erdir Zat, rakıyı hem bir içki hem de Türkiyeli bir “muhabbet kültürü”nün temeli olarak tüm dünyaya tanıtan bir kitap kaleme aldı. Murat Belge, Raşit Çavaş, Bahattin Yücel ve Vefa Zat’ın içerik danışmanlığını yaptıkları kitabın önsözünü de yine Murat Belge yazdı. Mey İçki’nin desteğiyle Overteam Yayınları tarafından yayınlanan Rakı: The Spirit of Turkey İngilizce’ye Bob Beer tarafından tercüme edildi. Rakı hakkında kaleme alınan ilk İngilizce kitap olma özelliği taşıyan Rakı: The Spirit of Turkey, beş bölümden oluşuyor. Rakı Culture başlığını taşıyan ilk bölümde rakı içilen mekanlar, tarihin ünlü rakı severleri, rakının Türkiye’nin kültürel hayatında nasıl bir önemi olduğu özetleniyor. The Origins of Rakı başlıklı bölümün konusu rakının tarihi kaynakları. The Meyhane başlığı altında, rakı içilen mekanların karakteristik özelliklerinin ve ünlü temsilcilerinin yanı sıra, rakıya ilişkin yasal düzenlemelerle, bu düzenlemelerin gündelik hayata nasıl yansıdığına dair anekdotlar yer alıyor. The Çilingir Sofrası‘nın konusu kaçınılmaz olarak mezeler… Rakı etrafında şekillenen mutfak kültürünün özellikleri ve özgünlükleri tanıtılıyor bu bölümde. Rakı as a Spirit bölümünün konusu ise rakıyı benzersiz kılan üretim ve sunum inceliklerinin yanı sıra, bu içkinin ticari tarihi… İngilizce bilen okura, rakıya dair bilmek isteyebileceği her şeyi yine rakıya yaraşır bir dille aktarmayı hedefleyen Rakı: The Spirit of Turkey, Türkiye’nin kültürel tarihine ve gündelik yaşam bilgisine dair derinlikli bir perspektif sunuyor. Yüzlerce kaynaktan derlenen anekdotlar ve kullanılan bol miktarda görsel malzemeyle kitap, Türkiye hakkında eğlenceli bir rehber olarak da okunabilir.

Download or read book The Art of the Turkish Tale written by Barbara K. Walker and published by Texas Tech University Press. This book was released on 1990 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In casting them into English, Walker has paid particular attention to capturing the flavor and excitement of the Turkish telling, while not infringing "on the narrator's right to have the tale recreated as he had told it." ...The Beauty, power, and appeal of the present volume for the general reading public, however, depends largely upon Barbara Walker's own consummate skill as a teller and re-teller of tales and her commitment to conveying as much of the Turkish performance context as possible. ...In a gesture which is perhaps symptomatic of the reasons for this volume's success, [Barbara Walker] recognizes in the Acknowledgments section each and every tale-teller by name--all forty of them, ranging in age from nine to ninety and coming from the many different walks of life, both urban and rural, to be found in twenty out of Turkey's seventy-four provinces from Mugla to Kars and from Istanbul to Diyarbakir. In presenting the works of "all these generous bearers of tradition" to an English-speaking audience, [she] has achieved her aim of opening a small window on the art of the Turkish tale in a volume which stands as a tribute to the art of book making as well. Sarah Moment Atis, Chair, Middle East Studies Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison President, Turkish Studies Association This will stand as a fine, quintessential contribution.... One hears the whispers of the original voices in these versions, all of which are... artful, recast in colloquial rhythms, and couched in a style that conveys the substance, the shape, the spirit, and the sumptuousness or the simplicity of the tale. Talat Sait Halman, Turkey's former Minister of Culture, then Ambassador for Cultural Affairs; now Professor of Near Eastern Languages and Literatures, New York University

Download or read book The Heart Is a Mirror written by Tamar Alexander-Frizer and published by Wayne State University Press. This book was released on 2008-01-01 with total page 706 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jewish studies scholars, as well as those interested in folktale studies, will gain much from this fascinating and readable volume.

Download or read book Humor in Early Islam written by Franz Rosenthal and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2011-07-27 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Humor in Early Islam, first published in 1956, is a pioneering study by the versatile and prolific scholar Franz Rosenthal (1914–2003), who (having published an article on mediaeval Arabic blurbs), should have written this text himself. It contains an annotated translation of an Arabic text on a figure who became the subject of many jokes and anecdotes, the greedy and obtuse Ashʿab, a singer who lived in the eighth century but whose literary and fictional life long survived him. The translation is preceded by chapters on the textual sources and on the historical and legendary personalities of Ashʿab; the book ends with a short essay on laughter. Whether or not the jokes will make a modern reader laugh, the book is a valuable source for those seriously interested in a religion or a culture that all too often but unjustly is associated, by outsiders, with an aversion to laughter.

Download or read book Turkey written by Andrew Finkel and published by OUP USA. This book was released on 2012-03-02 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A concise and illuminating account of the politics, history, economics, and culture of Turkey, this book is essential for anyone who wants to know more about the country with roots in both Europe and the Middle East.