Constantinople (Amicis book)
Constantinople (Italian: Costantinopoli) is a non-fiction travelogue book by Edmondo de Amicis published in 1877 regarding Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire, now Istanbul.
Alberto Brambilla of Sorbonne University wrote that the publication of the book and its reception were evidence of Amicis being "one of the best-known Italian authors abroad".[1]
Release[]
The first edition was published in 1877.[2] The original work had two volumes. Cesare Biseo illustrated an 1882 edition, and Brambilla wrote that this one "will help shape the European imagination towards Istanbul, and the Orient in general."[1] Multiple translations were derived from the Biseo version.[1]
In 2013 a new English translation by Stephen Parkin was released.[2]
A Turkish translation under the title İstanbul was published by .[3]
Reception[]
Orhan Pamuk gave a positive reception to the book and Umberto Eco himself used the guide when visiting Constantinople.[2]
PD Smith of The Guardian wrote that the book is "A wonderfully eloquent account".[2]
William Armstrong in Hürriyet Daily News called it "An orientalist bore" with "annoyingly purple prose".[4] Armstrong stated "it isn’t clear what distinguishes De Amicis’ memoir from the dozens of similar tomes written by intrepid Europeans at the time."[4]
References[]
- Brambilla, Alberto (2018). ""La fata dei mille amanti": Appunti su Costantinopoli di Edmondo De Amicis" [“The fairy of a thousand lovers”: Notes on Constantinople by Edmondo De Amicis]. (in Italian). . 28 (2): 185–200. doi:10.26650/LITERA482712. - The document includes an extended English abstract.
Notes[]
- ^ a b c Brambilla, p. 185.
- ^ a b c d Smith, PD (2013-09-06). "Constantinople by Edmondo De Amicis – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
- ^ "İstanbul".
- ^ a b Armstrong, William. "An orientalist bore". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
External links[]
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- Constantinople, 1896 English translation by Caroline Tilton, also at Hathi Trust (Harvard U copy and University of Michigan copy)
- Constantinople Volume I, 1896 English translation by Maria Hornor Lansdale, . alternate printing by - Alternate links at Project Gutenberg
- Constantinople Volume II, 1896 English translation by Maria Hornor Lansdale, - Alternate links at Project Gutenberg
- (in French) Constantinople, translated by Mrs. J. Colombe, Hachette et Compagnie, 1878. Also at Google Books
- 1877 books
- Istanbul
- Works about the Ottoman Empire
- Travel books
- Orientalism
- Italian-language books
- Turkey stubs