Series
Publication
Vintage Classics (2016), 368 pages
Original publication date
1955
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Description
Memed grows up a serf to a vicious overlord on the thistle-clad plains of Turkey's Taurus region. When his plan to escape is dashed, and the young woman he loves murdered, Memed makes for the mountains to become an outlaw. Before long he has transformed from a young rebel to an infamous bandit, the scourge of corrupt oppressors and hero to the poor. With vividness and simplicity, Kemal's classic novel evokes the fierce beauty of his country and the struggles of its oppressed people.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Miguelnunonave
Reading a Turkish classic tale in German was for me (a modern Portuguese) pure escapism. I loved the heroic protagonist and all that he stood for. It's like reading a legend, a myth.
LibraryThing member starbox
Set against the wild Cilician landscape, a rural place of thistle-covered land, brigands and evil landowners ...and the common people reduced to serfs.
Memed is the righteously aggrieved young son of a poverty stricken widow, living under the "rule" of nasty Abdi Agha. When Memed's beloved, Hatche,
Shoot-outs in the mountains, capturing a prisoner from the guards, coping with other unfriendly outlaws....Pretty good read, which really portrays the scenery and the life.
Memed is the righteously aggrieved young son of a poverty stricken widow, living under the "rule" of nasty Abdi Agha. When Memed's beloved, Hatche,
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is chosen as a bride by Abi's nephew, the young couple elope...but there are repercussions. Memed, gradually, finds himself forced into life with a gang of brigands.....and leaves behind his original nickname "Slim Memed" to become the heroic "Memed my Hawk"..Shoot-outs in the mountains, capturing a prisoner from the guards, coping with other unfriendly outlaws....Pretty good read, which really portrays the scenery and the life.
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LibraryThing member arubabookwoman
Memed grows up in a small Turkish mountain village run by the cruel Abdi Agha. A feudal system prevails, and the villagers toil and sweat in rocky fields overgrown with thistles with most of the rewards for their labor going to Abdi Agha. Even as a very young boy, Memed recognized the inequity of
When Memed was a young man he fell in love with Hatche. Unfortunately, Hatche was promised to Abdi Agha's nephew. Despite this Memed and Hatche decide to elope. They are pursued by Abdi Agha and his men, the nephew is killed and Hatche is jailed.
All of this is set up for the main story of the book, which I admit I did not connect with particularly well. Memed escapes to the hills and joins a band of brigands. During the time the novel was set, brigands, or bands of highwaymen/robbers, were apparently common in the hills of Turkey (and I learned that the red fez is the sign of brigandage). Some brigands are associated with particular pashas or aghas, some are well-tolerated by the police or government authorities, and others are in constant battle with police or aghas. Some brigands are cruel to the common people and some are the heroes of common people. Initially, Memed joined a band of brigands let by a leader who turned out to be one of the cruel brigands. When Memed sets out on his own, with his own followers, he becomes a sort of folk hero, and is mythologized by the villagers and common people who hear of his exploits.
As I was reading of Memed's exploits, his constant skirmishes and near escapes from the police and Abdi Agha's men who are pursuing him, I kept thinking of how much this reminded me of the Robin Hood story. And the episodes were like the adventures that might be described in a boy's own story. There was one battle with the authorities followed by miraculous escape, soon to be followed by another battle, one after the other. None of this I particularly enjoyed, so I have to say, this really wasn't the book for me.
I will say, however, that this is a much-loved classic in Turkey, and there are several sequels delineating the further adventures of Memed. The book itself brought world-wide acclaim to Kemal. It is an influential work in Turkey, and at one point, the Turkish government was considering banning it (or maybe did ban it) because of fears that it may have romanticized "socialism." So, there is that. And if you want to read about the escapades of a Turkish folk hero, this is the book for you.
First line: "The slopes of the Taurus Mountains rise from the shores of the Eastern Mediterranean on the southern coast of Turkey, in a steady ascent from the white, foam-fringed rocks to the peaks."
Last line: "With this fire a ball of light appears on the peak of Alidagn and for three nights the mountain is white, as bright as by day."
3 stars grows up in a small Turkish mountain village run by the cruel Abdi Agha. A feudal system prevails, and the villagers toil and sweat in rocky fields overgrown with thistles with most of the rewards for their labor going to Abdi Agha. Even as a very young boy, Memed recognized the inequity of this, and at one point ran away. He stayed with a kind family on the other side of the mountain for several months, but eventually returned because he missed his mother. Nevertheless, his small act of rebellion was remembered by Abdi Agha, who ever after was particularly cruel to Memed and his family.
When Memed was a young man he fell in love with Hatche. Unfortunately, Hatche was promised to Abdi Agha's nephew. Despite this Memed and Hatche decide to elope. They are pursued by Abdi Agha and his men, the nephew is killed and Hatche is jailed.
All of this is set up for the main story of the book, which I admit I did not connect with particularly well. Memed escapes to the hills and joins a band of brigands. During the time the novel was set, brigands, or bands of highwaymen/robbers, were apparently common in the hills of Turkey (and I learned that the red fez is the sign of brigandage). Some brigands are associated with particular pashas or aghas, some are well-tolerated by the police or government authorities, and others are in constant battle with police or aghas. Some brigands are cruel to the common people and some are the heroes of common people. Initially, Memed joined a band of brigands let by a leader who turned out to be one of the cruel brigands. When Memed sets out on his own, with his own followers, he becomes a sort of folk hero, and is mythologized by the villagers and common people who hear of his exploits.
As I was reading of Memed's exploits, his constant skirmishes and near escapes from the police and Abdi Agha's men who are pursuing him, I kept thinking of how much this reminded me of the Robin Hood story. And the episodes were like the adventures that might be described in a boy's own story. There was one battle with the authorities followed by miraculous escape, soon to be followed by another battle, one after the other. None of this I particularly enjoyed, so I have to say, this really wasn't the book for me.
I will say, however, that this is a much-loved classic in Turkey, and there are several sequels delineating the further adventures of Memed. The book itself brought world-wide acclaim to Kemal. It is an influential work in Turkey, and at one point, the Turkish government was considering banning it (or maybe did ban it) because of fears that it may have romanticized "socialism." So, there is that. And if you want to read about the escapades of a Turkish folk hero, this is the book for you.
First line: "The slopes of the Taurus Mountains rise from the shores of the Eastern Mediterranean on the southern coast of Turkey, in a steady ascent from the white, foam-fringed rocks to the peaks."
Last line: "With this fire a ball of light appears on the peak of Alidagn and for three nights the mountain is white, as bright as by day."
3 stars
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this, and at one point ran away. He stayed with a kind family on the other side of the mountain for several months, but eventually returned because he missed his mother. Nevertheless, his small act of rebellion was remembered by Abdi Agha, who ever after was particularly cruel to Memed and his family.When Memed was a young man he fell in love with Hatche. Unfortunately, Hatche was promised to Abdi Agha's nephew. Despite this Memed and Hatche decide to elope. They are pursued by Abdi Agha and his men, the nephew is killed and Hatche is jailed.
All of this is set up for the main story of the book, which I admit I did not connect with particularly well. Memed escapes to the hills and joins a band of brigands. During the time the novel was set, brigands, or bands of highwaymen/robbers, were apparently common in the hills of Turkey (and I learned that the red fez is the sign of brigandage). Some brigands are associated with particular pashas or aghas, some are well-tolerated by the police or government authorities, and others are in constant battle with police or aghas. Some brigands are cruel to the common people and some are the heroes of common people. Initially, Memed joined a band of brigands let by a leader who turned out to be one of the cruel brigands. When Memed sets out on his own, with his own followers, he becomes a sort of folk hero, and is mythologized by the villagers and common people who hear of his exploits.
As I was reading of Memed's exploits, his constant skirmishes and near escapes from the police and Abdi Agha's men who are pursuing him, I kept thinking of how much this reminded me of the Robin Hood story. And the episodes were like the adventures that might be described in a boy's own story. There was one battle with the authorities followed by miraculous escape, soon to be followed by another battle, one after the other. None of this I particularly enjoyed, so I have to say, this really wasn't the book for me.
I will say, however, that this is a much-loved classic in Turkey, and there are several sequels delineating the further adventures of Memed. The book itself brought world-wide acclaim to Kemal. It is an influential work in Turkey, and at one point, the Turkish government was considering banning it (or maybe did ban it) because of fears that it may have romanticized "socialism." So, there is that. And if you want to read about the escapades of a Turkish folk hero, this is the book for you.
First line: "The slopes of the Taurus Mountains rise from the shores of the Eastern Mediterranean on the southern coast of Turkey, in a steady ascent from the white, foam-fringed rocks to the peaks."
Last line: "With this fire a ball of light appears on the peak of Alidagn and for three nights the mountain is white, as bright as by day."
3 stars grows up in a small Turkish mountain village run by the cruel Abdi Agha. A feudal system prevails, and the villagers toil and sweat in rocky fields overgrown with thistles with most of the rewards for their labor going to Abdi Agha. Even as a very young boy, Memed recognized the inequity of this, and at one point ran away. He stayed with a kind family on the other side of the mountain for several months, but eventually returned because he missed his mother. Nevertheless, his small act of rebellion was remembered by Abdi Agha, who ever after was particularly cruel to Memed and his family.
When Memed was a young man he fell in love with Hatche. Unfortunately, Hatche was promised to Abdi Agha's nephew. Despite this Memed and Hatche decide to elope. They are pursued by Abdi Agha and his men, the nephew is killed and Hatche is jailed.
All of this is set up for the main story of the book, which I admit I did not connect with particularly well. Memed escapes to the hills and joins a band of brigands. During the time the novel was set, brigands, or bands of highwaymen/robbers, were apparently common in the hills of Turkey (and I learned that the red fez is the sign of brigandage). Some brigands are associated with particular pashas or aghas, some are well-tolerated by the police or government authorities, and others are in constant battle with police or aghas. Some brigands are cruel to the common people and some are the heroes of common people. Initially, Memed joined a band of brigands let by a leader who turned out to be one of the cruel brigands. When Memed sets out on his own, with his own followers, he becomes a sort of folk hero, and is mythologized by the villagers and common people who hear of his exploits.
As I was reading of Memed's exploits, his constant skirmishes and near escapes from the police and Abdi Agha's men who are pursuing him, I kept thinking of how much this reminded me of the Robin Hood story. And the episodes were like the adventures that might be described in a boy's own story. There was one battle with the authorities followed by miraculous escape, soon to be followed by another battle, one after the other. None of this I particularly enjoyed, so I have to say, this really wasn't the book for me.
I will say, however, that this is a much-loved classic in Turkey, and there are several sequels delineating the further adventures of Memed. The book itself brought world-wide acclaim to Kemal. It is an influential work in Turkey, and at one point, the Turkish government was considering banning it (or maybe did ban it) because of fears that it may have romanticized "socialism." So, there is that. And if you want to read about the escapades of a Turkish folk hero, this is the book for you.
First line: "The slopes of the Taurus Mountains rise from the shores of the Eastern Mediterranean on the southern coast of Turkey, in a steady ascent from the white, foam-fringed rocks to the peaks."
Last line: "With this fire a ball of light appears on the peak of Alidagn and for three nights the mountain is white, as bright as by day."
3 stars
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Language
Original language
Turkish
ISBN
1784701084 / 9781784701086
Physical description
368 p.; 7.78 inches
Pages
368