On the map of human existence. Istanbul throughout the age of empire
represented the administrative power center. Rome, Byzantium and the
Ottoman Empire each took its place in history as a ring of civilization
that formed around this center. To view history from this perspective
means to read the story of humanity in its pages and, in a sense, to
rediscover each time this dazzling star that shone in the skies of
Anatolia, the Balkans and the Mediterranean. As mankind discovered
Istanbul, it also discovered itself as a passionate traveler on the road
leading back to its own past. Istanbul today is a treasurehouse where
all our lost values are carefully preserved. A compass for our social
identity that has lost its way, a touchstone for our decaying aesthetic
taste, a trustworthy scale for our degenerating sense of justice -
Istanbul can assume all these roles while at the same time generously
offering us a human experience and store of knowledge capable of
answering every question put to it.

Everyday Life in Istanbul is a collection of striking images along a
journey back to the roots of the Turks´ social identity. A work
embracing the history of an imperial city in a plane where Man, Culture
and Space relate to each other, it is a noteworthy example of the new
historiography, which sets up a balance among the social sciences. With
its unique style and its theoretical framework set against a
multi-dimensional background extending from politics to culture, from
architecture to literature, it is at the same time a contemporary
historian´s gift to our city.
(Arka Kapak)