- Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: The Harvill Press; New edition edition (1 Nov 1997)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1860463916
- ISBN-13: 978-1860463914
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 13.4 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 456,589 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
Set in the mountains of Anatolia, this story of love, pursuit and vengeance recounts the efforts of Memed, a poor orphan, to obtain justice against a tyrant, even if it means taking to banditry to achieve his ends. Jashar Kemal is the author of "The Foundling".
From the Back Cover
In this passionate tale, unfolded with the force of the great folk epics, Memed is brought up as serf to a vindictive overlord. A plan to escape with his beloved is dashed when his master overtakes them and captures the girl. Memed makes for the mountains where he grows in stature from young rebel to bandit hero, the scourge of corrupt oppressors.
'A beautiful novel in the old, glorious tradition of heroic storytelling.' Scotsman
'A masterpiece.' Robert Carver, New Statesman
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First Sentence
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. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"Memed, My Hawk" was written in 1955 by Yashar Kemal,who is described in the Foreword as Turkey's most influential living writer. He was born in Chukurova,Turkey where this book is set. He became a journalist after a period as a public letter-writer and was an active member of the banned Workers' Party. These aspects of his life are reflected in the novel.
The hero is Memed, who we meet as a small boy on the run from his village, which is owned by the cruel Abdi Agha. Memed helps to support his mother by ploughing and planting their field, the crops from which are taken by the Agha, who leaves them with barely enough to live on. The story then jumps to Memed's late adolescence and his love affair with Hatche. Events and the Agha conspire against them and, ultimately, Memed becomes a bandit. He seeks revenge on the Agha and to rescue Hatche in that order.
It is difficult to review this story without giving too much away. Memed is a Turkish Robin Hood and has many exciting adventures. The story is unsophisticated, dealing with complex issues such as loyalty, courage, honour, birth and death in a particularly straightforward way. Major life decisions are made without any agonising over consequences. The villagers support anyone who serves their best interests-their loyalty is ever-wavering. Memed understands this and never condemns them.
Memed makes many mistakes. He is often naive, never a super-hero, and this makes him a charming character. He is a great warrior who takes part in activities that are unworthy of him. For example he joins forces with a bandit who is well known, not only for robbing people of their valuables, but also of their underwear! Memed stands by while this goes on. He doesn't like what he sees but accepts that there is little that he can do to change things.
The female characters are less impressive. Hatche is generally peevish and weak. The strongest female character is Iraz, who behaves like a man, a warrior. The development of these women demonstrates a strength in the writing-the women are as they are without being irritating. I accepted that this was their true state-within this society at this time they were powerless-and there was no pretence at making them any more than chattels of the men. However the male villagers too are owned by their local Agha, who in turn is managed by a more powerful bandit. There is a strong sense of hierarchy in the story. I felt the criticism of the system by the author without being preached at.
The story moves along very quickly. The language is poetic and colourful. The characters are easy to visualise and the descriptions come alive-I could almost smell the smoke of the campfires. The chapters are quite short, making for great bedtime reading. I can highly recommend the book-this is a very seductive tale.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This novel is now almost 50 years old yet it remains one of the best and most famous in modern Turkish literature. A very readable and exciting tale of adventure on one level. On another - well, you may want to make the comparisons yourself. Not necessarily Kemal's best book, but easily his most influential. Orhan Pamuk is indebted to him, as well as a panoply of other writers, English and American included - though they would not acknowledge this.
1 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Bountifully pictures a young adventurous, high spirited and kind-hearted person with a principle in a cruel difficult environment. The writer successfully convey the massage he describe it in its new introduction even much more Valuable objectives.
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