For most tourists to Turkey, DK Witness is a great resource for tourism purposes, from hotels to recommended attractions and places to dine. The other one that is really informative is Frommer's. The best feature of the Frommer's guide is the suggested itineraries. One week in Turkey is not enough but their itineraries for first timers, it does cover a lot of grounds and all that you want to see and do are squeezed into one week.

For history books on Turkey, Sons of Conquerors: The Rise of the Turkic World by Hugh Pope is a really good start, and for those who want a quick read and fast introduction to Turkey, Roderic Davison had written Turkey, A Short History. For a historical travel on Turkey, the best one is definitely Constantinople by Edmondo de Amicis (translated by Stephen Parkin), you can only imagine what Istanbul is like in those days. For a little understanding of Turkey and the Islamic faith of her people, you must definitely read My name is Red by Orhan Pamuk, one of Turkey's own and well known author. This novel is set in 16th Century Istanbul , a story of lust, love, art, taboos and murder. Turkey is a traveler's delight and a historian's paradise. There is never enough time to explore! So start by reading up on her and see for yourself what is waitiing for you in this fascinating and wonderful country called Turkey. Enjoy !