A Prisoner in Turkey

Still, John, 1880-1941Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 299K words
Chapters: 30

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.A Prisoner in Turkey by John StillAuthor: Still, John, 1880-1941,Language: English, Class: D501: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: World War I (1914-1918), Release Date: May 26, 2011

Editor's review

This book is John Still's memoir of his experiences as a First World War prisoner of war, recounting what he saw and the conditions he endured during his captivity in Turkey. As a firsthand source on the history of WWI prisoners of war, its value lies in presenting details of wartime captive life, the regional environment, and relations with guards from the perspective of someone who lived through it; the language is plain, the narrative proceeds chronologically, and it has the immediacy of documentary literature. Readers can use it to understand the non-combat side of the wartime Middle Eastern theater and to supplement individual experience beyond grand campaign histories. It suits WWI history enthusiasts, researchers of prisoners of war and military social history, and readers who enjoy firsthand memoirs. When reading, it is advisable to consult background material on the WWI Ottoman theater and to remain critical of observations shaped by the limitations of the era.

Who it's for

A good fit for

WWI history enthusiasts who want firsthand prisoner-of-war experience and a view of the Middle Eastern theater
Researchers of military social history and prisoners of war who need primary memoir material
Readers who enjoy documentary memoirs and prefer plain first-person narration
Readers of English historical texts interested in early twentieth-century personal records

Not a good fit for

Military fans expecting strategic analysis and campaign details
Academic readers who need a systematic research framework and annotations on prisoner-of-war history
Readers sensitive to the era's biases in early memoirs

Reading tips

First review background on the WWI Ottoman theater, then read the memoir to place events more easily
Take chronological notes chapter by chapter, distinguishing firsthand observations from the author's later commentary
Compare with contemporary prisoner diaries or campaign histories to build a multi-perspective understanding

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

What is this book mainly about?

The author recounts in the first person his experiences as a prisoner of war in Turkey, including captive life, the surrounding environment, and people he encountered. It is a primary memoir source on WWI prisoner-of-war history, focusing on personal experience rather than analysis of the military situation.

Do I need to know about WWI before reading?

Some basic knowledge will make it easier to follow. It is advisable first to know the general background of the WWI Middle Eastern theater and the Ottoman Empire's entry into the war, so you can better understand the places, relationships, and the author's situation in the book.

Are the views in the book completely objective?

As a firsthand memoir, it carries a personal perspective and the limitations of its era, and its observations of local people and events may not be comprehensive. When reading, it is advisable to compare other historical sources and distinguish factual accounts from personal evaluations.

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About the author

Still, John, 1880-1941 Author · British · 1880–1941

John Still (1880–1941) was an Anglican bishop and writer from Britain. He carried out missionary work in Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) and drew on his firsthand experience there to write travel accounts that combine observations of local life and customs with personal records of his journeys. One work by him is held in this collection, A Prisoner in Turkey, a narrative of wartime captivity. His writing generally grows out of his missionary career and travels, leaning toward reportage and memoir, with plain language and a direct presentation of what he saw. Details of his life, such as his early education, the course of his appointments and a complete bibliography, are limited in publicly available sources and await further verification.