Its life on the fault line, Istanbul bears its contradictions proudly. Ancient cosmopolitan port anchored to a hard, nationalist hinterland. Secular multiethnic metropolis pinned to a soi-disant monolingual Muslim ethnostate. Binder of continents and pillar of Pangaea, a string of broken pearls strung together by the great human traditions of solidarity and local self-government.

This vivid portrait of one of the world's greatest cities introduces readers to eight emblematic neighborhoods from both sides of the iconic Bosporus strait. From staunchly secular Besiktas to hyper-liberal Kadiköy, the multikulti proletarian melee of Aksaray to resolutely religious Çarsamba, each embodies a critical aspect of modern Turkey's social, political, economic, and religious history. Woven through are the stories of ordinary Istanbullus of all walks of life whose reflections reveal that, if far from perfect, each neighborhood offers sanctuary of a kind, a partial haven from the many cruelties of history, class, geography, and creed. Little loci of autonomy that refuse to harden into a single form, each offers its residents a fighting chance of dignity and freedom. Not only do they embody the history of Istanbul. They also hold this city of refuge together.