Birds Without Wings

RunningBarb was cleaning out my library shelves in preparation for the house painters, and I came across a book that had been sitting there for years but never had been cracked open. The book is “Birds without Wings,” by Louis De Bernières. Since my previous post focused on hummingbirds I thought I would continue with the theme.

“Birds without Wings” tells the story of a village, Eskibahçe, in southwestern Anatolia, part of what is now Turkey. It takes place during the beginning of the twentieth century. 

De Bernières brings Eskibahçe alive with vivid descriptions of place and character. It is a peaceful place (mostly), where folk of varying cultural and ethnic identities generally mix easily. The Muslims ask the Christians to pray to the Christian saints for the health and safety of their loved ones, and the Christians ask the Muslims to tie scraps of cloth to trees so that wishes can be granted. The towns people rarely, if ever, leave the village, and don’t fully grasp the ways of the world outside the town. (Who does?)

Mr. K and I traveled through Turkey in 1986, through villages like this one. Reading this book brought back memories of open land and black starry skies. These places felt remote and isolated, a step back in time. But we knew we were just passing through. 

“Birds Without Wings” is told from a variety of perspectives. There is Iskander the Potter; Philothei, the greatest beauty ever seen, even from the moment of her birth; the wealthy and influential Rustem Bey; Ayse the healer; military leader Mustafa Kemal; and many others. Clay birds also make an appearance.

The equanimity of the town is disrupted when war comes to its door. Prior to World War I a number of regional conflicts were fought in that part of the globe. The war escalated them, resulting in millions of deaths, obviously, and also the dislocation of thousands of people based on their ethnic identity, including Christians from Eskibahçe, who were replaced by Muslims from Greece.

The people were distraught, damaged, and completely puzzled. Why did their friend have to leave? What was wrong with having Christians in the neighborhood? How do these changes make anything better? The fact that they have almost no way to communicate with the outside world and therefore don’t know who is doing what or why, or what might happen next, adds to their feelings of helplessness. They are victims of decisions being made continents away, with deciders showing little regard for their situation.

The beginning of the book is colorful and interesting as we learn about the characters and their ways. The middle section is hard to read as it describes in detail the gruesome acts of war. The end feels like resignation and acknowledgement of the folly of human endeavors. Which feels kind of sad. Also realistic.

This is not the kind of book you want to read fast to see what happens. First of all, it makes you review your history. And it is the kind of story where you want to stop at the end of each chapter and savor the beautiful writing and the visions it evokes. Or, in the more violent sections, pause and catch your breath.

If you are looking for a read that will take you to another time and place this may be for you. It makes you think about how different is the world of today. And how much the same.

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