Ghost Empire by Richard Fidler

At some time in the past, my wife received a hardcopy of Ghost Empire, written by ABC writer-broadcaster-journalist Richard Fidler and published in 2016.  It is about the history of Constantinople up to the conquest by the Ottoman Empire, interspaced with the experiences of Fidler and his son who took a trip to Istanbul in 2014.

Here's the dustcover blurb:

TRUE STORIES OF BLOOD, TREASURE AND CONQUEST FROM THE CITY OF THE WORLD'S DESIRE.

In 2014, Richard Fidler and his son Joe made a journey to Istanbul. Fired by Richard’s passion for the rich history of the dazzling Byzantine Empire – centred around the legendary Constantinople – we are swept into some of the most extraordinary tales in history. The clash of civilisations, the fall of empires, the rise of Christianity, revenge, lust, murder. Turbulent stories from the past are brought vividly to life at the same time as a father navigates the unfolding changes in his relationship with his son.

GHOST EMPIRE is a revelation: a beautifully written ode to a lost civilisation, and a warmly observed father-son adventure far from home.

My historical readings had always focused on the Greek and Roman worlds and I had bypassed the Byzantine Empire, yet I now know that Constantinople survived as that empire's capital city from 330 until its fall in 1453 to Sultan Mehmed II, ruler of the Ottoman Turks. Fidler discusses at length the many palace intrigues, overthrows and battles with would-be conquerers, and discusses Constantinople’s relationship with old Rome and the West. Not too many governments and cities can boast to have lasted for over 1000 years but that was the case for Constantinople (now Istambul).

Fidler has been presenting the ABC radio program Conversations for many years now and those same research skills are obviously put to great use in preparing for this trip to Turkey and for the subsequent writing of the book.

It is a very easy book to read, yet gives plenty of titbits and digressions to keep the reader interested. It's a huge roller-coaster story, full of blood, torture, brutality and intrigue. Thank goodness I live in this century and not one thousand years ago.

A wonderful read.