Accidentally Istanbul: Decoding Turkey for the Enquiring Western Traveller

by Nancy Knudsen

Nancy Knudsen never meant to go to Istanbul.

Maybe she might have included it as part of a holiday along with other dazzling European cities such as Venice, Paris or Salzburg. But the idea of actually living in a Muslim country as an ordinary citizen rather than tourist or expat corporate executive, would never have occurred to her.

Knudsen's story is vivid, lively and sometimes hilarious, full of insights into things she wished she'd known before she arrived in an all-black apartment above a sports field, with not a word of Turkish. She found almost nothing in guidebooks or histories to help her understand what seemed at first an inexplicable culture.

In the course of her tale, she sets out to decipher many of the intricacies of Turkey and its lifestyle, and of Istanbul in particular. Both new and experienced visitors will find her observations invaluable and her personal love affair with this ancient yet totally modern city and its culture may well act as a springboard for others.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

232 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2016

About the author

Nancy was born in Queensland in Mareeba, then lived in Mossman and Sydney, NSW, then went sailing for six years and now living in Dungog, NSW.

Nancy's first book is non fiction, Shooting Stars and Flying Fish was published in 2011 - her second, also non fiction Accidentally Istanbul will be published in March 2016.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was 2004 and Nancy Knudsen and her husband Ted were in the middle of a sailing holiday when Ted was contacted by the university in Istanbul, requesting he spend a semester with them, teaching architecture. Nancy was astounded – shocked, horrified and unable to comprehend Ted was even considering the request. With neither of them able to speak Turkish, Nancy felt the problems would be insurmountable.

Nancy and Ted were Australians – born in Queensland, they were living in Sydney and loving the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Their sailing holiday was a dream they were fulfilling – but the decision they made back in 2004 would change their lives forever.

In their first few days then weeks in the city, as they settled into the apartment (where everything inside was black, much to Nancy’s consternation) there were many problems to overcome. Their lack of communication skills was frustrating; but to the amazement of them both, the friendliness of the local Turkish people who mostly didn’t speak English, gradually overcame the barriers. As they learned about the city, the cultures, the food – the general relaxed way of life, Nancy felt her inhibitions crumble. Was she falling in love with Istanbul? How could that be possible?

I met Nancy and Ted recently at an author event and after discovering she was launching Accidentally Istanbul at our local Writers Festival in a few weeks, I was thrilled when she asked me if I would like to read it. It’s a beautifully descriptive book which almost reads as a fiction novel, so interesting and informative is the prose. There are many humorous moments as well as the serious, almost disastrous distractions. But all in all, it’s a book which I have no hesitation in recommending highly.

With thanks to the author for this copy to read in exchange for my honest review.

[Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting travelog by an Australian woman and her husband as they take an unexpected detour from their sailing tour to live and work in Istanbul. Good descriptions of historic and notable sights, but more interesting in capturing the day-to-day interactions with neighbors, co-workers and how it contrasts to their expectations. Brief but interesting read.

[Selma June · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really excited to read this but was hoping for some deeper insights on culture shock and uprooting your life to live in Turkey other than “I don’t want to eat olives for breakfast what the??!!” and some very basic history.

I couldn’t relate to the protagonist and her oft rudimentary observations. It is clear we are in different tax brackets from her ability to sail around the world and her brief note about being in contempt of people who receive Centrelink in Australia with no effort. That and some of the observations of peoples appearances and saying that once someone shed some kilos she became the “swan” that they always thought she’d be. That and the initial Islamophobia voiced at the commencement of the book of which I acknowledge that the author states was only borne out of Australian ignorance and I was glad to read dissipated with some education and immersion in an Islam majority nation.

All in all I think Nancy is a great writer but I don’t think I can really relate to her story even as an Australian moving to Istanbul who loves Turkey.

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accidentally Istanbul was a valuable read for me, as somebody who will soon go to Turkey for the first time in my life. I was moved by the evolution of Nancy Knudsen's attitude to Istanbul Islamic society from wariness and trepidation to understanding and deep love. I particularly welcomed her attempt to understand the spiritual mystery of the hijab (Chapter 15 Headscarves). Although the issue wasn't totally unravelled, her exploration and interrogation of the locals brought me to the view that it's an ineffable matter, perhaps akin to the mystery of the Christian Catholic Mass (something I've never totally absorbed, as a person raised in a Protestant environment). A recommended read for anybody going to Istanbul.

[Phyllis K Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Turkey

I too have a love of this wonderful country and found this book a great testament to these peoples. A must read for all Americans who want to see the world through the eyes of a doubter turned into a person of the world.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting memoir of an Australian woman experiencing Istanbul life.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this after a trip to Instanbul. I could picture many of the places and events that she wrote about.

[Michael Knock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good description of everyday life in Istanbul. The author's initial negativity about Turkey and the Turks was pretty annoying.

[Kaye Paris · Rating 5 out of 5]

On Thursday my eagerly awaited copy of Accidentally Istanbul by Nancy Knudsen arrived. I began reading it later in the evening and found I could not put it down. I read far into the night until I turned the last page. When you read an excellently written book you find you become totally immersed in its story. So it was with Accidentally Istanbul. I was transported to a foreign exotic land far away. I felt the trepidation of meeting people of a totally different culture and identified with Nancy's fairy stories of childhood as she discovered some of the origins. Tears and laughter were just some of the emotions I felt as I continued reading. I could so clearly hear Ted's frustrated expletives in my head, my laughter coming easily. Understanding that it is fear and ignorance that breeds racism, the pages show a kindness and honesty sadly missing for many years here.
I can certainly recommend Nancy's book. I bought the book version but it is also available in an ebook. If you love reading you will love this book.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subtitle is misleading as this is a memoir, not a book to help decode Turkey for anyone.

That is my only complaint about this excellent book, written by an Australian woman who fell in love with Istanbul after being dragged there by her partner when they were supposed to be on a sailing holiday. [Her own powerlessness in her Western marriage was not that different from the Turkish women's that she met, apparently.]

I appreciated her intelligence and open-mindedness when confronted with the cultural differences, and her struggle to understand and adapt. She describes complex emotions and lovely settings well and shares her experience in 2004-2006 in an engaging way. I could not help but wonder if the recent upheavals of the last decade in Turkey would have affected her well-off, educated social sphere or left her untouched?

[Julian Hodges · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Istanbul is a refreshingly intelligent, amusing, enthralling and beautifully crafted story of Nancy Knudsen’s path of learning and discovery when her architect husband suddenly accepted a role at an Istanbul university and she had to halt her sailing holiday.
With no knowledge of what was for her a strange city or its language, what started as a brief interlude became longer term. Nancy Knudsen continually surprises as she finds new insights, meanings and aspirations from the city and its people.
A joy to read.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy and entertaining read and one that prepared me for my own experience in Istanbul, however the book pointed to me the obvious upmarket, well heeled Australians, not many Australians have the chance to take time off work to sail the Mediterranean.

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book! Awesome insight into life in Istanbul, a really enjoyable read.