The Man from Constantinople—José Rodrigues dos Santos

A novel inspired by real events, telling the story of a visionary who played a key role in shaping modern society.

A young man arrives at the most luxurious hotel in Lisbon to see his dying father. Kalust Sarkisyan has fallen into a coma, and when he briefly regains consciousness, he wants to say goodbye to his son. To Krikor’s surprise, his father, with his last ounce of strength, points to a stack of papers and utters his final words: “What is beauty?”

The Armenian man picks up the pages, only to discover that they are his father’s memoirs, titled „The Man from Constantinople.“ Krikor begins reading feverishly and is transported into a completely unfamiliar world—Constantinople during the twilight of the Ottoman Empire. During this period of religious tension and dynamic change, young Kalust grows up surrounded by the beauty of the city on the Bosphorus. The boy develops a keen aesthetic sensibility, but before devoting himself to art, Kalust must prove himself as a visionary entrepreneur. He doesn’t just amass a fortune—he ranks among the wealthiest people in Europe.

360 pages

Paperback