SOME BOOKS ORDERED BY ATATÜRK

It can be said that Atatürk did not spend any free time in his life. He spent his time outside of his official duties by reading, and when his table was opened, he always had conversations with his guests on the issues of the country, history and the Turkish language. Here we will read; The great writer Yahya Kemal's letter to Atatürk's General Secretary Hasan Rıza Bey in 1923 explains what kind of books Atatürk read in French. According to what we understand, they ordered the books Atatürk requested for Yahya Kemal, who was in Istanbul, and Yahya Kemal sent this letter. Let's read the letter:

Dear Sir,

Law 75 before 1339 (1923)

I have received the orders of His Excellency the President regarding the books. Let me repeat to His Excellency the President of the Republic,  through Salih Bey, the necessary explanation, once again :

Beyoğlu bookstores are very poor in this range, especially in terms of serious works. For example, after visiting all the bookstores, I was able to obtain three of Monteskiyö's works, which I had ordered, with difficulty. These three books are not worth binding as they are not in the best paper, best edition. For this reason, I took back three books from the binder with this thought, and ordered the well-printed copies of these works on good paper to be bound and put in the library in Çankaya, to Paris. When they come here after fifteen days, they will be bound and sent immediately.

However, I have presented the copies I have obtained here, through Salih Bey, for the President of the Republic to give his opinion for now.

After his Excellency,  I received a second order from our dear friend Mahmud Bey, which was communicated about some other books . These second batch books are unfortunately badly printed here, or even old editions have not been found.

As I just mentioned, I ordered these for Paris just like the first ones. They were already writing me to write to Paris if Mahmut Bey was not here. Among these last works requested by His Excellency Pasha was Jan Jak Ruso's “Letters Written on the Mountain”, which I could find in one volume. In the same volume, there is “The Imaginations of a Man Who Travels to the Press Alone”, which is considered to be the most beautiful work of Ruso. I am presenting this volume as a paperback, they will send a good copy from Paris and I will have that copy bound.

Both the first three volumes of Ruso that I have presented and the last volume that I have sent by mail today may tire the eyes, as they are printed in other lowercase letters than they are on ordinary paper. I request you to present these thoughts to His Excellency the President.

Since I will be back in a week, I hope to find you there in good health and joy, and I present all my sincerity, my dear brother, sir.

                                                                                   Yahya Kemal

1 Salih Bozok

2 Mahmut Soydan

Niyazi Ahmet Banoglu

Source: ATATÜRK ARAŞTIRMA MERKEZİ DERGİSİ, Sayı 8, Cilt: III, Mart 1987