Life, Style & Reviews

Book & Film Review: Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

In this incredible story, the author has undertaken meticulous research in order to create a comprehensive overview of what happened to the people of Osage County in the 1920s, writes A.J. Griffiths-Jones. A vast and seemingly barren land that the Osage Indians called home in the heart of Oklahoma, nobody could have envisaged the changes…

Read More
The joy of souvenir shopping

By A.J. Griffiths-Jones – When coming to a Turkish resort for an annual summer holiday many tourists naturally like to buy something to take home from their travels, a reminder of the culture, food or customs that they’ve experienced while here. Of course, many visitors, especially the younger generation, like to head to the huge indoor…

Read More
Book Review: The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant

By A.J. Griffiths-Jones Nestled on blustery Cape Ann and hugging the rugged Massachusetts coastline in 19th century America, Dogtown is a tiny rural backwater that is reputedly coming to an end. However, it endures, thanks to the eccentric, hardy and dignified characters that remain to fight for their community’s survival when all others have fled…

Read More
Airline anxieties

By A.J. Griffiths-Jones For many holidaymakers the most stressful part of their vacation is actually the time spent at the airport or, unfortunately, dealing with delays. Looking back at the past two years of incoming flights to Turkiye, most polls reveal that the most popular carriers are Turkish Airlines, Pegasus and SunExpress, with Swiss, Aegean,…

Read More
Book Review: Cloudstreet by Tim Winton

By A.J. Griffiths-Jones ‘Will you look at us by the river! The whole restless mob of us on spread blankets in the dreamy briny sunshine skylarking and chiacking about for one day, one clear, clean, sweet day in a good world in the midst of our living.’ So begins a beautiful tale of not taking…

Read More
Counting the cost

A.J. Griffiths-Jones When considering moving to Turkiye, it is important to carefully calculate your cost of living here, especially if a pension is your only source of income. There are a few tariffs that might surprise you, as they may differ from those in your home country and, despite many utilities and costs being cheaper…

Read More
A healthy cause for concern?

As an expat, one of the major concerns about getting older in a foreign country is the need for comprehensive and efficient healthcare, writes A.J. Griffiths-Jones. Therefore, recent changes to the general practitioner services for foreign residents, especially in smaller communities like Akbuk, is a real cause for concern. There was no forewarning, just a…

Read More
Book review: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

By A.J. Griffiths-Jones: An international bestseller that has been translated into dozens of languages The Alchemist is a book that has the unusual capability to both warm the heart and to give a real sense of reflection. It begins with Santiago, a Spanish shepherd boy who dreams of travelling the world to seek the unknown.…

Read More
Book review: Sky Burial by Xinran

By A.J. Griffiths-Jones – Renowned late-night radio presenter Xinran has encountered many tragic stories of women living in the People’s Republic of China, but one in particular brought back memories from her childhood and laid open the fascinating rituals of sky burial in Tibet. At the time of hearing about this unusual tradition, in 1963, a…

Read More
Book review: The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

By A.J. Griffiths-Jones – Last month the world commemorated the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz. It was a dark time in history that will forever be a blot on Europe’s campaign for human rights, yet one that should be remembered so that such a terrible place…

Read More