What we’re about
This reading and discussion group is for people who want to explore and understand history, religion, culture, politics, and daily life from within the Middle East and Islamic perspective, rather than from the outside.
Recently, while reading Tamim Ansary's Destiny Disrupted, I was forced to confront how embarrassingly little I know about this part of the world and the people in it, even after living in Istanbul for 2 years! I felt like I was reading Game of Thrones, only these were real-life people, real-life empires, real-life stories, and real-life events.
As an American with a typical American education, the exposure I had to Middle Eastern history and culture was, perhaps unsurprisingly shallow, biased, and dismissive.
This group exists to undo that "education," and replace it with something more honest, robust, and thoughtful.
Whether you're an expat, nomad, traveller, or local, please do join me for enjoyable, in-person conversations in Istanbul.
