Rebel Land, By Christopher de Bellaigue
(Rated 4/ 5 )
Reviewed by Anita Sethi

Sunday, 18 April 2010

Independent/UK

Rebel Land opens with the perplexed author staring at himself in the
mirror in eastern Turkey: not only has he aged since his days as a
foreign correspondent, but his self-conception is at odds with his
actual reflection. It is the disjuncture between his personal view of
Turkey and the one which was held up to him in protestation after he
wrote an article about the country’s history, that is the genesis of
this book: after his article was published, Christopher de Bellaigue
was reprimanded as an apologist for the Turks, and thereafter set out
to investigate the truth by hearing first-hand the stories of the
"forgotten peoples" of the land. (Kurdish troubles in the east linger,
while Armenians still talk of a genocide in the region, in 1915-17.)

The book exposes the complexities and compromises of narrative: De
Bellaigue holds up many mirrors to many people, each reflecting
different versions of the truth. He also ponders his own subjectivity
as a one-time public schoolboy for whom "bucolic authoritarianism was
cool".

What would compel someone to leave behind their home country at all,
in order to live among strangers? Insights into the author’s own
wanderlust create the engaging emotional landscape, tracing its roots
in childhood and on into adulthood, when a romance with a Turkish lady
first led him to the area. (Although that ended, his love affair with
the country continued.)

For one who, like myself, has travelled through eastern Turkey, whose
wild, beautiful landscape lingers in the mind, this book is packed
with fascinating factual nuggets. For those who have not ventured
there, the author conjures vivid scenes. This book is far from
perfect; an uneven cacophony. But it is precisely through honest
consideration of the imperfection in life and in literature that the
author finds his forte, shining valuable light on little-known
terrains.