One of the famed balloons in Cappadocia, Turkey's very own fairy-tale kingdom
I’m shocked by the vote. For my 2 suggestions, I often include books which I think members would prefer while also trying to offer a variety of genres. I had doubts about both of my suggestions because I honestly didn’t think members would be as drawn to them as I was. In the end, I decided to include them because the genres were so different from the others that I thought they would offer a good balance. To my surprise, both of those suggestions were your top 2 picks! It’s a lesson learned for me to not anticipate what all of you prefer. But before we get to the results of the vote, I’d like to share a discovery.
Did you know that Turkey has a thriving film industry poised to match the esteemed status of Hollywood? I had no idea, but the films I found below make it clear why.
A Drama Inspired by Sofia Coppola's Virgin Suicides
“A very honest & disturbing look at the role of women in rural Turkey. Orphan girls are seen playing on the beach with a group of boys & must face the punishment of a conservative society.” View on Amazon (US) | (UK)
A Magical & Remarkable Documentary
“Hundreds of thousands of cats roam Istanbul. For millennia, they've become an essential part of the communities that make the city so rich. This film follows 7 such cats for an intimate look at the daily routine of Istanbul & its unique beauty.”
View on Amazon (US) | (UK)
A Police Procedural unlike any other
“A beautifully-photographed crime drama about police and prosecutors driving through the Anatolian countryside to look for a corpse, the serpentine roads & rolling hills lit only by the headlights of their cars.” View on Amazon (US) | (UK)
SO WHICH BOOK ARE WE READING NEXT?
“The Number One Ladies' Detective Agency meets Pedro Almodovar in this outrageous new series featuring an ultraglamorous sleuth
Bestsellers in Mehmet Murat Somer's home country of Turkey and set to take the world by storm, the arrival of the Hop-Çiki-Yaya (aka Turkish Delight) mysteries is cause for excitement (and lip gloss!) here in the United States.
A male computer technician by day and a cross-dressing hostess of Istanbul's most notorious nightclub by night, the unnamed heroine of The Kiss Murder is the most charming and hilarious sleuth to debut in recent memory. When Buse, one of the ‘girls’ at her club fears someone is after private letters from a former lover, she comes to her boss for help. The next day, Buse is dead and our girl must find the murderers before they find her. Fortunately, she is well armed with beauty, wit, the wardrobe of Audrey Hepburn, and expert Thai kickboxing skills.”
Featuring an irreverent & saucy drag queen, this highly entertaining & occasionally over-the-top story is the perfect read if you’re looking for something light, fun, and a little different as Charlaine Harris, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, & the Guardian all rave. (Also, it’s interesting to read about a feisty gay sub-culture in a traditionally conservative Muslim country.)”