How did the Ottoman Empire shape the modern world?

The story in Alan McHale will be here to talk about his new book, God's Shadow.

What really goes on in the supermarket?

Benjamin Lower will join us to discuss the secret life of groceries.

Alexander Altair will have an update from the publishing world.

Plus, our critics will join us for the latest in literary criticism.

This is the Bookerview podcast for The New York Times.

It's October 16th. I'm Pamela Paul.

Alan McHale joins us now. He is in New York City and he is the author most recently of God's Shadow.

Sultan Saleem, his Ottoman Empire and the making of the modern world.

Alan, thanks for being here. Thanks for having me.

This book is about the Ottoman Empire, which I think for many Americans,

certainly young Americans, it's sort of encountered in the history textbook when it's in

its waning years, World War I, it's sort of the dying empire that is obliterated at the end

of World War I along with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. But what was the Ottoman Empire like at its

peak? At the height of its power, the Ottoman Empire ruled three continents, Europe, Asia,

and Africa. Some 33 countries today have an Ottoman history. It was an empire mainly of three

religions, Islam, the religion of the ruling elite of the empire, and at the height of its power,

the majority of the population, but also Christianity and Judaism. It was a multi-linguistic empire,

the languages of the Balkans, of the Middle East, and of parts of Africa as well.

And it was one of the world's great powers of the early modern period.

When you talk about the early modern period, what years do you mean specifically?

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