A Family in the Süleymaniye Neighborhood (Book)

A Family in the Süleymaniye Neighborhood (Süleymaniye Mahallesinde Bir Aile) is a memoir written by Fethi Erhan and published by Dergâh Publications in April 2024. The work provides a detailed account of the author's family life in Istanbul's Süleymaniye and Vefa neighborhoods between 1914 and 1969, including their neighborly relations and the social structure of the period.

Subject Summary

Since Fethi Erhan was born in Süleymaniye in 1944, the book narrates the life of his family and their surroundings. The family resided in Vefa and Süleymaniye until 1969 and moved to the Muzaffer Pasha Mansion on Süleymaniye Street in 1937. His mother and father were married in this house in 1938. The book provides a detailed examination of the social structure, neighborly relations, and neighborhood culture of the period.

Themes

• Family and Community Relations: The book examines the family’s social relationships within the neighborhood and their community ties.
• Space and Memory: The spatial structure of the Süleymaniye and Vefa neighborhoods and the place of these structures in individual and collective memory are discussed.
• Socio-Cultural Structure of the Period: Social life, traditions, and the process of modernization in Istanbul in the 1930s and 1940s are addressed.

Narration and Style

In this memoir, Fethi Erhan conveys his personal experiences and observations with a sincere tone. The book serves as an important resource for those who wish to understand the social structure of the period.