{"product_id":"9791399142549","title":"LETTERS FROM ISTANBUL","description":"\u003ch2\u003eLetters from Istanbul\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBook Summary\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1716, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, wife of the British ambassador to Constantinople, defies the prejudices of her time to write one of the most lucid chronicles of the Ottoman world. Dressed in Turkish fashion and with a gaze free from stereotypes, she gains access to spaces forbidden to European men: baths, harems, and female intimacy. Her letters speak of medicine, customs, pleasure, and power, and introduce the smallpox vaccine to Europe. This edition recovers a fundamental testimony that challenges inherited narratives about the Orient and the status of women.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat is it about?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLady Mary Wortley Montagu arrives in Constantinople in 1716, accompanying her husband, the British ambassador to the Sublime Porte. From there, she writes a series of letters that debunk the distorted image Europe had constructed of the Ottoman Empire. The author describes the bazaars, mosques, street life, and court ceremonies with subtle humor and critical acuity, while also penetrating spaces prohibited to male travelers: public baths and harems, where she observes the lives of Ottoman women with an exceptional freedom of judgment for her time. Beyond being a travelogue, these letters document her role in introducing the smallpox vaccine to the West, a practice she learned during her stay. The work not only portrays Constantinople but also offers a comparative look between cultures that fueled the orientalist imaginary and still retains its capacity to challenge stereotypes today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMain themes\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eCross-cultural encounters: the perspective of an enlightened woman on the 18th-century Ottoman Empire\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eThe female condition: the lives of Ottoman women in spaces such as baths and harems, observed without prejudice\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eMedicine and science: the introduction of the smallpox vaccine to Europe based on direct observation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eCritique of orientalism: dismantling European stereotypes about the Orient\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eEpistolary and travel literature: the letter as a literary genre and historical document\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWho is it recommended for?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is intended for readers interested in classic travel literature, the history of the Ottoman Empire, and relations between the East and the West. It will also be of great value to those seeking 18th-century female testimonies that challenge gender roles and cultural stereotypes. It is an essential work for history of medicine enthusiasts and anyone wishing to understand the origins of the orientalist imaginary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat this book offers\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eA unique testimony from a woman who defies the conventions of her era and offers an alternative vision of the Ottoman world\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical keys to the introduction of the smallpox vaccine in Europe\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eA vibrant, humorous chronicle that dismantles stereotypes about the Orient and the female condition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eA comparative look at cultures that remains relevant for understanding current prejudices\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTechnical specifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\n\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Wortley Montagu, Lady Mary\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/strong\u003e La Linea del Horizonte Ediciones\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\n\u003cstrong\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spanish\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\n\u003cstrong\u003eSubject:\u003c\/strong\u003e Diaries, letters and travelogues, Classic travel literature\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\n\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e Meridianos\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\n\u003cstrong\u003eBinding:\u003c\/strong\u003e Paperback\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication date:\u003c\/strong\u003e April 2026\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 224\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 552 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eEditorial review\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis edition of \"Letters from Istanbul\" recovers a fundamental text for understanding how an 18th-century woman managed to transcend the limitations of her time to offer a critical and nuanced vision of the Ottoman world. The work stands out for its lucidity, subtle humor, and ability to challenge inherited narratives about the Orient. It is particularly relevant for readers interested in travel literature, women's history, and postcolonial studies. The carefully crafted paperback edition by La Linea del Horizonte Ediciones makes it accessible to a wide audience.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"LA LINEA DEL HORIZONTE EDICIONES","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53405826122075,"sku":"9791399142549","price":21.9,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1018\/0650\/6331\/files\/979139914254.jpg?v=1781832603","url":"https:\/\/kalamobooks.com\/en\/products\/9791399142549","provider":"Kalamo Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}