[FIRST ANTISEMITIC BOOK IN TURKISH] Millet-i Israiliye. [i.e. Nation of Israel]
EBÜZZIYA [TEVFIK], (1849-1913)., Kitabhane-i Ebüzziya, Istanbul, [AH 1305] = 1888.
Original illustrated and decorative wrappers. Minor wear on extremities of cover. Partly uncut and untrimmed. Otherwise a very good copy. 12mo. (16 x 12 cm). In Ottoman script (Turkish with Arabic letters). 78 p. Hegira: 1305 = Gregorian: 1888. Serie: Kütüphane-i Ebüzziya, Aded: 66.
First and only edition of this first and earliest antisemitic book in Turkish literature.
"It was the first work that carried the traces of antisemitic discourse towards the Jewish people in the Ottomans" (Özkul, Çomak, Uzun).
Ebüzziya Tevfik, who raised questions such as "why the Jews do not have a homeland", "why they are not moral" and "why they were exiled throughout history", and discussed these in the first two chapters of his book, is in search of a solution to the "Jewish question" in the final chapter despite taking such a harsh stance in advance.
Tevfik was a journalist and writer who started in the path of journalism after having worked as a civil servant for a brief time. He published the newspapers Ibret, Hadika, and Sirac (1873) (1873) with Namik Kemal. Ebüzziya Tevfik, who was a member of the Young Ottoman Association, was exiled to Rhodes together with Ahmet Mithat Efendi after the incidents that arose following Namik Kemal's 'Vatan Yahut Silistre' (Country or Boatswain's Pipe) play in 1873. He returned to Istanbul after the death of Sultan Abdülaziz. He did research in the area of publishing in Vienna where he lived during the rule of Abdülhamid. He established the Ebüzziya Publishing House after his return to Turkey and published the books of the famous writers of the time such as Namik Kemal, Ziya Pasa, Sinasi, Ahmet Rasim, Recaizade Ekrem, and Muallim Naci. He published 'Mecmua-i Ebuzziya' (1880). He was exiled to Konya in 1890 by the Abdülhamit administration on the grounds that he wasn't suitable for civil service. He was elected as Antalya parliamentary deputy (1908) to the parliament that was formed on the announcement of the Second Constitutional Monarchy. Ebüzziya Tevfik, who prepared compilations and translations on anthologies, theater plays, and memoirs, is known more for his contributions to publishing and as a famous editor of the time than as a writer. (Source: Biyografya.; Türkiye Ünlüleri Internet Ansiklopedisi).
OCLC 644108158, 642833577 (Eight copies).; Özege 13579. Bali 1112. Koray 1406.