The Original Young Turk: Stories and Life Lessons from an American Dream Come True

Born in 1937 in the wake of the Turkish War of Independence, Dogan Uygur grew up in a virtually unknown agricultural town in southern Turkey. Although he was loved and supported by his community and family, Uygur yearned for more than the fields of Kilis and the backbreaking work of a poor subsistence farmer. He dreamed of escaping the dreary routines, lack of social mobility, and violent run-ins with Syrian soldiers to live a life of his choosing.

While recounting his experiences of how hi...