Ugur Paksoy

The Bagdadi / Paksoy Family Story: 1781 - 2014 Ugur Paksoy

The history of a Turkish family from 1781 to 2014, told by seven brothers and their children. The story begins in Bagdad and follows the lives of the seven Paksoy brothers as they come of age during the turbulent years of the end of the Ottoman empire. The oldest brother tells the lives of their great-grandfather, grandfather and father and their journey from Bagdad to Adana, Turkey. Their father was exiled after the fall of the Ottomans and the oldest son, at age 18, was determined to reclaim the family land taken by the new Turkish Republic. Without the land, the family had no way to support itself, and he describes his harrowing and heroic efforts to recover the resources that would allow his family to survive and thrive. Because of his efforts the family recovered, five of the sons went on to higher education while the two oldest worked the land. Each brother's story is unique and each is remarkable. An Armenian housekeeper who lived with the family is mentioned in several of the brothers' stories and his life is told as the final chapter. Photographs from1900 to 2014 are included, full color when available. Eight of the 10 chapters are in English and Turkish. The respect and love the brothers have for each other shines through in each chapter, and their resilience and ability to build a life for themselves and their families, and to connect with each other through the years, makes the Bagdadi/Paksoy family story one of family and one of history.