PICT Book Named “Book of the Year” by K24

The prominent Turkish cultural website K24 has named Gender in Ottoman Constantinople by David Selim Sayers (PICT Books, 2024) as one of its “Books of the Year 2024.”

In his review, Necmi Sönmez praises the book for exploring “the position that Ottoman society granted to people defined as queer today.” The book, Sönmez maintains, takes us back to a time “before Westernization and its distorted understanding of morality,” showing us that “Ottoman society was much more colorful and pleasure-based than we could have imagined.” In so doing, Gender in Ottoman Constantinople “overturns the taboos in the field of Ottoman studies” and presents “a turning point for gender studies.” Sönmez’ extensive review also devotes significant space to analyzing the original, 19^th-century illustrations that accompany the book, claiming that they “open the door to an unknown, local, visual culture.” Sönmez sums up his review by stating that he “thoroughly relished” the book.

Gender in Ottoman Constantinople grants us a fascinating glimpse into the culture of Ottoman Constantinople and what this culture takes for granted, frowns upon, laments, and lampoons in terms of gender. Contrary to the widely-held assumption that the Ottoman gender world disintegrated in the 19^th century under the influence of new and foreign gender discourses, the book goes on to show how Ottoman notions of gender continue to inform descendants of this culture even today. With its surprising and unexpected insights, Gender in Ottoman Constantinople challenges its readers to rebuild their own conceptions of gender—and history—from the ground up.

Since its foundation in 2015, K24 has established itself as one of the foremost non-profit, independent online platforms dedicated to literature, culture, and critique in Turkey. Reviewer Necmi Sönmez is a curator and art historian who has staged events and exhibitions in countries including Turkey, Germany, France, and the USA. He holds a PhD from the Goethe University Frankfurt, and his reviews, essays, and books have appeared from major publishers in Turkey and abroad. His review of Gender in Ottoman Constantinople is available in Turkish.

Gender in Ottoman Constantinople had earlier been picked as a “Book of the Month” by the major Greek cultural magazine, Athens Voice. We congratulate David, everyone at PICT Books, and our entire community for the book’s continued success!

Read the full K24 review here!