Selva is a young and stubborn Turkish girl who is the daughter of a notable Ottoman Pasha. Last Train to Istanbul: Book review It’s originally written by Turkish author Ayse Kulin and what we read in English is the novel translated by John Baker. One who follows her heart and the other one follows the expectations. “Last Train to Istanbul” is the story of love torn apart by religion and race. From Ankara to Paris, Cairo, and Berlin, Last Train to Istanbul is an uplifting tale of love and adventure from Turkey’s beloved bestselling novelist Ayşe Kulin. I do have one slight nitpick and a content warning, however. About the Translator John W. Baker spent his formative years living in Istanbul due to his father's posting, and was educated at the English High School for Boys there. About the Translator John W. Baker spent his formative years living in Istanbul due to his father's posting, and was educated at the English High School for Boys there. Last Train to Istanbul, winner of the European Council Jewish Community Best Novel Award and the Premio Roma in Italy, has been translated into twenty-three languages. About the Translator. Last Train to Istanbul, winner of the European Council Jewish Community Best Novel Award and the Premio Roma in Italy, has been translated into twenty-three languages.About the TranslatorJohn W. Baker spent his formative years living in Istanbul due to his father's posting, and was educated at the English High School for Boys there. Two sisters born into a wealthy Turkish Pasha family are surrounded by elegant tea parties, refined schools, and luxuries. Together, they must traverse a war-torn continent, crossing enemy lines and risking everything in a desperate bid for freedom. Buy Last Train to Istanbul Unabridged by Kulin, Ayse, Jhaveri, Sanjiv, Baker, John W. (ISBN: 0889290381965) from Amazon's Book Store. I enjoyed the book and learned from it, and became attached to the characters, particularly during the train ride. The story uses flashbacks splendidly, showing a complex family dynamic that adds to the whole story. Last Train to Istanbul is less romantic, but it shows both the power of family and what a committed group of people can actually do. Last train to Istanbul by Ayse Kulin Ayse Kulin could be a good reason to learn Turkish To handle so many delicate topics in one book - Nazi persecution of Jews, inter-religious marriage, social hierarchy, tradition versus modernism, heroics in the face of adversity, political expediency, WWII international relationships - is an ambitious undertaking. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Last Train to Istanbul, winner of the European Council Jewish Community Best Novel Award and the Premio Roma in Italy, has been translated into twenty-three languages. The last train to Istanbul by Ayse Kulin is a story about Two sisters Selva and Saiba. The story is about an inter-religion romance happening in Istanbul, a city in Turkey. We alone are responsible for it.’ Last Train to Istanbul, winner of the European Council Jewish Community Best Novel Award and the Premio Roma in Italy, has been translated into twenty-three languages. 58 quotes from Last Train to Istanbul: ‘Think carefully. We only have one life to live. She is the apple of her father’s eyes; his prized possession until she commits the blasphemy of falling in love with a charming Jew, Rafael Alfandari. The last train of the title is their attempt to return the Turkish citizens to Istanbul amidst the ravages of World War II (and France's complicity).