Mathias Énard

"In 1506, Michelangelo -- young but already renowned sculptor -- is invited by the Sultan of Constantinople to design a bridge over the Golden Horn. The sultan has offered, alongside an enormous payment, the promise of immortality, since Leonardo da Vinci's design had been rejected: "You will surpass him in glory if you accept, for you will succeed where he has failed, and you will give the world a monument without equal." Michelangelo, after some hesitation, flees Rome and an irritated Pope Julius II -- whose commission he leaves unfinished -- and arrives in Constantinople for this truly epic project. Once there, he explores the beauty and wonder of the Ottoman Empire, sketching and describing his impressions along the way, and becomes immersed in cloak-and-dagger palace intrigues as he struggles to create what could be his greatest architectural masterwork. Tell Them of Battles, Kings, and Elephants -- constructed from real historical fragments -- is a story about why stories are told, why bridges are built, and how seemingly unmatched pieces, seen from the opposite sides of civilization, can mirror one another"--

Tell Them of Battles, Kings and Elephants

Safiya 

When my friend showed me her pile of books during a conference call, I was caught off guard by this book as she described its cover and waved it in front of my camera. It was enough for her to mention Constantinople that I went and looked for it...
In a few minutes I found the author's conversation with Abdelwahab Meddeb on France Culture Radio Station, and was surprised how the author tried to weave a story that is half real.
Not going to lie, I hold Constantinople in a special place in my heart : A city of secrets, contradictions, sadness, life and breakthroughs.
Of the journey of Michel Ange I have never heard a thing until discovering this fiction, and seeing what an architect sees, and appreciatesin the city I felt connected to him if only by the few common remarks made facing Pera, the Golden Horn of simply gazing at the still Bosphorous waters.
Solace is found in Mesihi s poetry and his fascination for Michel Ange...
I regret that the closest copy I could get was in English not in French... I think that much of the poetry was lost to the sober English details...

"Of Istanbul, he remembers a vague light, a subtle sweetness mixed with bitterness, a distant music, soft shapes, pleasures rusted by time, the pain of violence, of loss: the abandon of hands that life did not let him touch, faces he’ll never caress, bridges that haven’t even yet been raised."

Thank you Salwa!

Tom Gregson

Ned Summers 

Michelangelo’s adventure in Constantinople, from the “mesmerizing” (New Yorker) and “masterful” (Washington Post) author of Compass In 1506, Michelangelo—a young but already renowned sculptor—is invited by the sultan of Constantinople to design a bridge over the Golden Horn. The sultan has offered, alongside an enormous payment, the promise of immortality, since Leonardo da Vinci’s design has been rejected: “You will surpass him in glory if you accept, for you will succeed where he has failed, and you will give the world a monument without equal.” Michelangelo, after some hesitation, flees Rome and an irritated Pope Julius II—whose commission he leaves unfinished—and arrives in Constantinople for this truly epic project. Once there, he explores the beauty and wonder of the Ottoman Empire, sketching and describing his impressions along the way, as he struggles to create what could be his greatest architectural masterwork. Tell Them of Battles, Kings, and Elephants—constructed from real historical fragments—is a thrilling page-turner about why stories are told, why bridges are built, and how seemingly unmatched fragments, seen from the opposite sides of civilization, can mirror one another.

Tell Them of Battles, Kings, and Elephants

Nora 

In 1506, Michelangelo--a young but already renowned sculptor--is invited by the Sultan of Constantinople to design a bridge over the Golden Horn. The sultan has offered, alongside an enormous payment, the promise of immortality, since Leonardo da Vinci's design had been rejected: "You will surpass him in glory if you accept, for you will succeed where he has failed, and you will give the world a monument without equal." Michelangelo, after some hesitation, flees Rome and an irritated Pope Julius II--whose commission he leaves unfinished--and arrives in Constantinople for this truly epic project. Once there, he explores the beauty and wonder of the Ottoman Empire, sketching and describing his impressions along the way, and becomes immersed in cloak-and-dagger palace intrigues as he struggles to create what could be his greatest architectural masterwork. Tell Them of Battles, Kings, and Elephants--constructed from real historical fragments--is a story about why stories are told, why bridges are built, and how seemingly unmatched pieces, seen from the opposite sides of civilization, can mirror one another.

Morgan Thomas

Hellboy TCR

Kwan Ann Tan

Scott Vandehey

Dilara Alemdar

Érica Cunha

In 1506, Michelangelo--a young but already renowned sculptor--is invited by the sultan of Constantinople to design a bridge over the Golden Horn. The sultan has offered, along with an enormous payment, the promise of immortality, since Leonardo da Vinci's design was rejected: "You will surpass him in glory if you accept, for you will succeed where he has failed, and you will give the world a monument without equal." Michelangelo, after some hesitation, flees Rome and an irritated Pope Julius II--whose commission he leaves unfinished--and arrives in Constantinople for this truly epic project. Once there, he explores the beauty and wonder of the Ottoman Empire, sketching and describing his impressions along the way, as he struggles to create what could be his greatest architectural masterwork. Tell Them of Battles, Kings, and Elephants--constructed from real historical fragments--is a thrilling page-turner about why stories are told, why bridges are built, and how seemingly unmatched fragments, seen from the opposite sides of civilization, can mirror one another.

Tell Them of Battles, Kings and Elephants

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