Benjamin Fortna on change and continuity in Ottoman and Turkish history
September 1, 2026
Turkey Book Talk #277 – Benjamin Fortna, professor of history at the University of Arizona, on “The Shortest History of Turkey: From the Ottoman Empire to the Turkish Republic” (Old Street Publishing)
In just over 200 pages, the book spans the emergence of the Ottoman Empire to the present day. The interview addresses the challenges of trying to fit so much into such a compressed form, appealing to a popular readership, and the recurring themes that emerge over the course of so many centuries.
Download the episode or listen below:
Read a transcript of the interview on Substack.
Listen to Turkey Book Talk : Apple / Spotify / PodBean / Stitcher / PlayerFM / Listen Notes
Follow : Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / Bluesky
Please support Turkey Book Talk as a member on either Substack or Patreon. Members get a 35% discount on all Turkey/Ottoman History books published by Bloomsbury Academic, access to transcripts of every interview, and links to articles related to the subject of every episode.
Turkey Book Talk 