On the Back of the Tiger

Description

A literary tour-de-force, this vivid account of an infamous Ottoman sultan’s life in exile is also a powerful indictment of the hypocrisies of the West, from the internationally bestselling author of Disquiet.

Abdülhamid II ruled the Ottoman Empire for thirty-three years, from 1876 to 1909, when he was deposed following the Young Turk Revolution and sent into exile in Thessaloniki. Now, more than a century after that fateful night of April 27, Zülfü Livaneli brings to life the fascinating later days of the overthrown sultan, who precipitated the empire’s collapse.

Based on the memoirs of Atıf Hüseyin Bey, personal physician to Abdülhamid and his entourage in exile, this vibrant historical novel explores the nature of power while painting a nuanced psychological portrait of the man who oversaw progressive reforms yet became known as the “Red Sultan” for the Armenian massacres during his reign.“I loved this book. It reads with all the power and simplicity of a fable.” —Louis de Bernières, bestselling author of Birds Without Wings and Corelli’s Mandolin

“A fascinating and charming account of the last days of the Ottomans as seen through the eyes of a deposed sultan and his skeptical doctor, as well as a thought-provoking study in political folly, personal responsibility, and hope.” —Jenny White, author of The Sultan’s Seal and The Abyssinian Proof

“Through a fine narrative keyhole, Livaneli observes how isolation frees a toppled sultan to see the sweep of his dynasty’s history, achievement, and error. Livaneli peers into closed quarters, where Abdülhamid II, aided by his physician’s own humanity, locates new truth in his regrets and pride. Ultimately it is Livaneli’s meticulous rendering and his own compassion and wit that allow us to be there as six centuries of Ottoman rule come to a close.” —Katherine Nouri Hughes, author of The Mapmaker’s Daughter

“Zülfü Livaneli narrates a challenging and loaded period where the past and future, revolution and decline, grand dreams and disappointments coexist. He invites readers on a sincere and unbiased journey into the mental world of the last years of the Ottoman Empire.” —Ali Yaycıoğlu, Associate Professor of History, Stanford University
 
“An interesting departure in Livaneli’s literary career, On the Back of the Tiger presents a different take on the era of Sultan Abdülhamid II. Livaneli has created a compelling narrative from the perspective of the dethroned sultan, examining the balance sheet of Abdülhamid through the lens of historical facts, all told in a remarkable literary style.” —İlber Ortaylı, Professor of History, Galatasaray University and Bilkent University
 
“Zülfü Livaneli’s captivating novel breaks away from the usual clichés about the Abdülhamid regime and vividly portrays it from all angles.” —Taner Timur, professor emeritus, Ankara UniversityZülfü Livaneli is Turkey’s best-selling author and a political activist. Widely considered one of the most important Turkish cultural figures of our time, he is known for his novels that interweave diverse social and historical backgrounds, figures, and incidents, including the critically acclaimed Bliss (winner of the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Award), Serenade for Nadia (Other Press, 2020), Disquiet (Other Press, 2021), The Last Island (Other Press, 2022), The Fisherman and His Son (Other Press, 2023), Leyla’s House, and My Brother’s Story, which have been translated into thirty-seven languages, won numerous international literary prizes, and been turned into movies, stage plays, and operas.

Brendan Freely was born in Princeton in 1959 and studied psychology at Yale University. His translations include Two Girls by Perihan Mağden, The Gaze by Elif Şafak, and Like a Sword Wound by Ahmet Altan.US

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