Hikâye: Turkish Folk Romance as Performance Art

Hikâye is an engaging study of Turkish romance by its leading contemporary student. Ilhan Basgöz presents vivid descriptions of the singers who perform these tales, the performance venues, interactions between singers and audiences, and the romance texts as artistic objects. Part of the fun is the playful interaction between the author and the seasoned characters who taught him their poetic craft. Hikâye will be the definitive work on this tradition, which has cognates in Persian and Arabic tale-telling, as well as links to European medieval romances. A valuable contribution to folklore studies, for scholars, students, and general readers alike.