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--The Gulf Today (UAE)

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Journal of Middle East Women's Studies, Spring 2007

LONELY PLANET TURKEY GUIDE 2007--April 2007

 UK TELEGRAPH--31 January 2007

INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE--13 December 2006

"This collection of tales... is a must read for anyone planning a visit." --Amanda Poulsen

  NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER--July/Aug 2006

"Follow the journeys of 29 women as they discover Turkey and its people in this collection of stories designed to reveal a culture often veiled in mystery and mystique. A 30-year-old African American encounters a lust-filled dating scene in Istanbul; a shy English teacher confronts her self-image in a 13th-century bathhouse; an Iowan evangelist is changed by the very Turkish souls she hoped to convert. The beauty of Tales is that each story paints Turkey as the narrator experiences it, and, together, the
stories construct a portrait of a people and their place. "

ROLF POTTS' VAGABONDING BLOG--16 August 2006

"The stories clearly show the passion and love that these women have for Turkey and the way the culture has intertwined with their own, through self-discovery in a foreign land. There are countless ways to experience a different country and no two people can have the same experience. This collection includes several different tales with many contrasting situations and experiences that weave together to form an overall perception of what Turkey is really like from a female viewpoint. If you're looking at Turkey as a place to visit, live or work, and want an inside look at local culture and lifestyle, this book is highly recommended." --Aly Young
 

PERCEPTIVE TRAVEL web magazine-- May/June 2006

"Tales from the Expat Harem is a lovingly produced book that probably gives a more rounded, fully fleshed-out view of Turkey than any book has managed before... [The] variety of place and experience allows a deeper look into the culture than could ever be managed by one writer or a group of travelers... The quality of the writing is uniformly high, however, despite the fact that many of the contributors were amateur writers coaxed--and carefully edited--by Ashman and Gökmen....For anyone who wants to get a real feel for what it's like to marry into a foreign culture, or to see how daily life works out while settling into another land, this is an engaging and masterful collection."  

          --Tim Leffel, Editor

GALLEYCAT publishing industry blog-- 25 May 2006

TURKUAZ magazine-- May 2006

"While the title may shock the more conservative shelf browser, it will likely draw attention to what we find a worthwhile anthology of the transformative power of relationships across cultures...Interestingly, as Turkish tradition becomes a more predictable factor, with each passing story, we are less able to forecast how the immersion experience will affect the protagonist...the book flows and is often an effortless journey through historical sites illuminating interpersonal situations. "

CORNUCOPIA magazine-- April 2006

"...insights from women who learn to read the cultural fine print...this is a noble effort. Valuable today as an antidote to bigotry, it will, I am sure, serve as an even more valuable corrective to the blinkered historia ns of tomorrow."

          --"Taking to Turkey" book review by Maureen Freely

THE OREGONIAN newspaper--14 April 2006

"The fascinating anthology... provides a smart look at different levels of Turkish society through the perspectives of a variety of women."

GLOBE & MAIL newspaper-- 1 April 2006

HABER ÖTESİ with Sedef Kabaş-- 03 February 2006

"Everyone should read this book. This book is the answer to our complaints about Turkey's global image. In addition, not only is the theme of the book original, these very human stories also offer a diverse and colorful range of perspectives. The stories are original, interesting, and unique."

          --Sedef Kabaş

AKSİYON magazine--23 January 2006

"We are usually leery of foreigners' views of Turkey. The fact that [TALES FROM THE EXPAT HAREM]  was written by well-educated foreign women should serve to increase our trepidation, but even if we could find anything to criticize about this book, not even our smallest suspicions could withstand the sheer sincerity of the writers.  Not just for Turkey, but for Turkey's global image, this book is a first. This is a project that will be talked about much more in the days to come."

          --Muhsin Öztürk

THE GUIDE ISTANBUL magazine-- January 2006

"Brilliantly woven, laugh-out-loud funny. Simultaneously touching and humorous...As an expat living in Istanbul myself, most of EXPAT HAREM positively resonates...Their experiences could easily be my own."

          --Stacie Leone

COSMOPOLITAN magazine-- December 2005

"Comic, romantic, and at the same time thought-provoking...Every one of these stories  is worth reading."

FETHİYE TIMES website-- December 2005

"This book is surely destined to feature on academic reading lists for women’s studies in English-speaking countries around the world...the [book's] results are impressive."

           --Pat Temiz

POSTA newspaper-- 18 December 2005

"This book made me reflect deeply. It's for good reason that a  poet once said, 'One cannot understand the value of the stream while standing in it.' A person cannot look at their own country with a foreigner's eyes... exploring both traditional, rural Turkey as well as this country's urban high society, these women reveal experiences in many walks of Turkish life...What seems formidable to us Turks is often for them an interesting, headspinning, exotic event that they relate in a way that makes the reader laugh. If you are interested in viewing both our good and bad sides in one photograph, I highly suggest you read this book!"

          --Yazgülü Aldoğan, Music and Book Review columnist

MILLIYET newspaper--1 December 2005

"As you know, there are many question marks about Turkey's image abroad in regards to women's rights and equality; when these writers came to me, they said this book could be used as a public relations tool for Turkey. I think this book will be good for our country. This book shows that Turkey is not the dark country everyone thinks it to be."

          --Arzuhan Yalçındağ, Chairperson of the Executive Board of Kanal D Television and Doğan Holding Board Member

RADİKAL newspaper-- 23 October 2005

"The book is filled with universal lessons, Turkish scenes, intercultural similarities and differences; in short, [the reader] is surrounded with excellent material."

          --Nur Çintay

HÜRRİYET newspaper-- 3 October 2005

"Modern 'Lady Montagues' explain Turkey... This book resonates with the tone of the famous letters of the 18th century English diplomat's wife, but these memoirs are from the perspective of university-educated contemporary western women on 21st century Turkey... They write about their Turkish life experiences with warmth and sincerity, with many of the stories breaking down cultural prejudices. This collection of memoirs is an interesting and enjoyable read."

          --Ayşen Gür, Book Review columnist

TIME OUT ISTANBUL magazine-- September 2005

"The country's freshest expatriate literature is showcased in [these] true tales of tribulation, triumph and assimilation by foreign women in Turkey."

TURKISH DAILY NEWS-- 23 September 2005

"Foreigners living in Turkey will want to buy this book. [Expatriate] Old-timers can be reminded of why they love their adopted country, and newcomers can understand some of the difficulty they experience while adapting to a new culture. Men can enjoy and learn from these tales..."

          --Michael Kuser

NRC HANDELSBLAD newspaper --20 August 2005

"The difference between this book and other non-fiction books on similar topics is that the struggle between orientalist and occidentalist clichés versus real culture differences has become a reflective part of this book. These women are looking for the right words and means to express their feelings as subtly as possible concerning their various pluralistic identities-- woman, westerner, Christian, city-dweller, country girl, mother, wife-- identities which are being put to the test of true culture shock by the new home country.
     Thus culturalism, the reduction of a person to his or her cultural background, is avoided. There is more than one axis on which people differ or connect (gender, religion, age, class, education, personality). In this respect, nearly all contributions are careful, open, interesting, and intimate."

PUBLISHING TRENDS-- June 2005

"An impressive anthology...like a modern day metamorphosis of the writings of Lady Mary Wortley Montague...As Turkey continues to knock on the door of the EU, a contentious issue for EU member nations...[TALES FROM THE EXPAT HAREM leads] the way in reconciling the many conflicts and misunderstandings between east and west."

TEMPO magazine----25 Nov-1 Dec 2004 issue

"These women have done such a good job, even if the Turkish government spent millions of dollars on public relations it couldn't achieve the same impact that this book will."