Last Train to Istanbul

International bestseller by one of Turkey’s most beloved authors

As the daughter of one of Turkey’s last Ottoman pashas, Selva could win the heart of any man in Ankara. Yet the spirited young beauty only has eyes for Rafael Alfandari, the handsome Jewish son of an esteemed court physician. In defiance of their families, they marry, fleeing to Paris to build a new life.

But when the Nazis invade France, the exiled lovers will learn that nothing—not war, not politics, not even religion—can break the bonds of family. For after they learn that Selva is but one of their fellow citizens trapped in France, a handful of brave Turkish diplomats hatch a plan to spirit the Alfandaris and hundreds of innocents, many of whom are Jewish, to safety. Together, they must traverse a war-torn continent, crossing enemy lines and risking everything in a desperate bid for freedom. From Ankara to Paris, Cairo, and Berlin, Last Train to Istanbul is an uplifting tale of love and adventure from Turkey’s beloved bestselling novelist Ayşe Kulin.

One of Turkey's bestselling and most beloved authors, with more than ten million copies of her books sold, Ayşe Kulin is known for captivating stories about human endurance. In addition to penning internationally bestselling novels, she has also worked as a producer, cinematographer, and screenwriter for numerous television shows and films. A mother to four sons, she lives in Istanbul. Last Train to Istanbul, winner of the European Council Jewish Community Best Novel Award and the Premio Roma in Italy, has been translated into twenty-three languages.

About the Translator

John W. Baker spent his formative years living in Istanbul due to his father's posting, and was educated at the English High School for Boys there. Following in his father's footsteps, he had a career with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London until he took early retirement to live in Turkey again. He is honored to have been the first British writer to have written a play in Turkish, Ihtiras (Passion), which was produced in 2003 by Gencay Gurun and was voted one of the best five new plays that year. The success of Ihtiras led to favorable publicity resulting in Baker being asked by Ayşe Kulin to translate two of her novels, Last Train to Istanbul (Nefes nefese) and Face to Face (Bir gun).

Other translations followed, including Theodora by Radi Dikici, about the Byzantine empress, and most recently, Unfulfilled Promises by Leyla Yildirim, a love story set during the Battle of Gallipoli.

Baker returned to live in England in 2010 and is now happy to be back living in London again and doing the occasional translation.