Overview

Giovanni P. Marana, author of the letters in this volume was an Italian living in France in the seventeenth century. He wrote in the character of a Turk visiting Paris. Marana was probably the first writer to use the device of a series of letters written by a visitor to a foreign country in order to comment satirically on contemporary politics, culture, religion and philosophy. Disguised as a Moldavian priest, Mahmut, the letter-writer, is in Paris on a mission to spy on the Christians and to send secret letters in Arabic to the Turkish Court. He is an acute observer of the courts of Louis XIII and XIV, the disastrous politics and wars of the seventeenth century, the crude manner and superstitions of the Europeans and the seamy side of France in le grand siècle. One of the first and most compelling spy stories ever written, and immensely popular throughout the eighteenth century, this reprint (originally published in 1970) has been edited and selected by Arthur J. Weitzman, who provides a critical introduction and notes.

Full Product Details

Author:   Giovanni P. Marana ,  Arthur J. Weitzman
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint:   Routledge
ISBN:  

9781041159711

ISBN 10:   1041159714
Pages:   256
Publication Date:   01 November 2025
Audience:   College/higher education ,  College/higher education ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Not yet available  
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Table of Contents

Introduction. The Letters: Volume I, Book I, Letters I, VIII, IX, XI, XXVIII, Volume I, Book II, Letters IX, X, XII, XVII, Volume I, Book III, Letters, XI, XIX Volume I, Book IV, Letters VII, XVIII, XXIV Volume II, Book I, Letters XII, XXIV, XXVI, XXVII, XXXIV Volume II, Book III, Letters I, XVIII, XXIII, XXV, XXXIV Volume III, Book I, Letters III, V, X, XXVII Volume III, Book II, Letters X, XVI, XVII, XXVIII Volume IV, Book II, Letters XIX Volume IV, Book III, Letters I, IV Volume IV, Book IV, Letters III, IX, XIV Volume V, Book I, Letters XI, XIII Volume V, Book II, Letters II, XVI, XIX Volume V, Book III, Letter I Volume V, Book IV, Letters IX, XIII, XV Volume VI, Book I, Letters I, II Volume VI, Book II, Letters VII, X, XII, XIX, XX Volume VI, Book III, Letters VII, XIV, XVIII, XIX Volume VI, Book IV, Letters IV, XVII Volume VII, Book I, Letters I, II, XII, XVII Volume VII, Book II, Letters III, IV, Volume VII, Book III, Letters VIII, XII Volume VII, Book IV, Letters I, III, V Volume VIII, Book II, Letters XI, XIII Volume VIII, Book IIII, Letter XII Volume VIII, Book IV, Letters VIII, XIII, XVIII. Bibliography.

Reviews

‘Letters Writ By A Turkish Spy is…a refreshing, fruitful and comparative Orientalist discourse, which, in our day and age, could be much needed.’ Goodreads, April 2019

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