Great fiction on the Middle East and Turkey

After the storm, my brother, and his wife and daughter evacuated to my house. So later as thanks, they sent me Birds Without Wings a novel by Louis de Berniere. It's a great read. Lovely prose. Set in Turkey at the beginning of the 20th century. Full of all sorts of knowledge about Arab, Muslim, Greek, Turkish culture, and a beautiful evocation of the time. If all you know about Turkey is what was in Lawrence of Arabia, this book will set you to rights. Written with compassion, humor and love. Even if you could care less about politics in the Middle East. Go get it and read it.