What were the true catalysts behind the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and how did a new republic emerge from its ashes? In Recent History: Facts and Fallacies, master historian İlber Ortaylı provides a breathtaking analysis of the 19th and 20th centuries, dissecting the most debated topics of Turkish and Middle Eastern political life. From the rise of nationalist movements to the strategic maneuvers of the Balkan Wars and World War I, Ortaylı strips away the myths to reveal the raw realities of a world in transition.

Ortaylı offers a compelling portrait of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his comrades, highlighting the military genius and "political stubbornness" required to coordinate a fractured resistance into a unified National Struggle. He reflects on the tragic cost of global conflicts—noting that "The Second World War left more living dead behind than those it killed on the front"—while also exploring the nuanced history of the Middle East, the rise and fall of its monarchies, and the legacy of Ottoman rule in Arab lands.

Moving into the mid-20th century, the book examines Turkey's complex transition to democracy, the era of the Democrat Party, and the socio-political shifts leading toward the 1960s. For those seeking to understand the deep-rooted facts behind today’s headlines, Recent History: Facts and Fallacies is an essential guide, offering profound insights into the leaders, ideologies, and turning points that defined a century.