A Turkish Dictionary

by Andrew Wessels

Poetry. Middle Eastern Studies. Birds, roses, arabesques, minarets, a city, and a different sky. In A TURKISH DICTIONARY, Andrew Wessels navigates an Istanbul of the present and an Istanbul of the past, tracing the redaction and restoration of language, history, and faith. Through a flâneur's exploration of Istanbul's back streets, discoveries in obscure and questionable books, the sound of spoken words, and the tracings of sacred geometry, Wessels discovers and enters the dark zero of a city, a past, and a self.

Genres: Poetry

94 pages, Paperback

Published April 18, 2017

Reviews

[Rach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow this was a really wonderful collection that was just such a cool experience. It read so interestingly. At times I forgot I was in a poetry collection but the prose quickly brought me back in. So wonderful the way Wessels combines language, images and prose in his poems.

[Christopherseelie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A poetic journey in three parts, containing a demonstration of process, an examination of historical/linguistic erasure and redaction, and an affirmation of faith and doubt drawn from the splendor of Istanbul and the poet's experience there. Andrew Wessels offers compelling opportunities to leap.

[HystericalRed · Rating 2 out of 5]

Giving this one more star than it deserves for the image of the tombs, which were the only decipherable scenes in this entire collection.