An American Woman's Letters to Turkey

ImageBridges are so much more than simply connecting point A to point B. They captivate and enthrall us and some even seem to defy the laws of physics, but for author and librarian, Katharine Branning bridges are also conduits of ideas and values. For over 30 years Branning, author of the new book An American Woman’s Letters to Turkey: Yes, I Would Love Another Glass of Tea, has travelled annually to Turkey. Her trips have allowed her to better understand her own Christian spirituality, and values of beauty, art and nature.
“In border-ethnocentric American we need to look beyond our own four walls to find the layers of truth to existence,” says Branning. “We need to read other literatures, study other traditions and religions, look to other forms of cultural expression to better understand our own and carve our own paths.”

Intrigued by Lady Montagu who also travelled to Turkey, and who wrote the Embassy Letters of Lady Montaguduring the eighteenth century Turkish Ottoman Empire, Branning decided to enter into an imaginary correspondence chronicling her own experiences. Originally started as a letter, Yes, I Would Love Another Glass of Teaevolved into a book. Not a guidebook, not a travel guide and not a sociological study of Turkey, the book chronicles personal experiences about everyday life.

Yes, I Would Love Another Glass of Tea details:
• My Turkey - the beauty, diversity and simplicity of the countryside
• Building Bridges - transcontinental and cultural channels linking Asia to Europe
• Heart Breakers and Show Stoppers - man made marvels and extraordinary acts of human kindness
• ‘Tomaters’ All Day Long - tables filled with the bounty of good food surrounded by an abundance of love
• Peaceful Prayers - tolerance and understanding between Muslims and Christians
• Turkish Touch - why deliberate imperfections enlighten and give meaning to life
• Darkness and Light - historical golden stones, majestic mosques and the promise of tomorrow

“Turkey is a magnificent and generous nation. It has shown me I must never doubt the infinite goodness of my fellow man,” explains Branning. “So join me as rulers, citizens and nations to take time to build some bridges to cross together, one foot in front of the other.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katharine Branning, MLS, is Vice-President of the French Institute Alliance Francaise in New York City, where she serves as the Director of FIAF’s Library. In recognition of her work involved in the creation of over 8 libraries in both France and the United States, in 2006 she was awarded the Ordre National du Mérite by the President of France, one of the nation's highest honors. Ms. Branning is a graduate of the Ecole du Louvre in Paris, where she majored in Islamic arts, with a specialty in Islamic glass.

Yes, I Would Love Another Glass of Tea is available on www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com and through Blue Dome Press.

Last modified onSaturday, 06 May 2017 10:07