The Book Scene in North Cyprus

The Book Scene in North Cyprus

Books offer more than stories—they’re windows into culture, history, identity, and the complex social fabric of a place. In North Cyprus, that fabric is rich but also under-documented when it comes to the publishing ecosystem. Below is a look at what the book world looks like north of the Green Line—who publishes, who sells, what readers can find, and what still needs growing.

Publishers & Publishing Initiatives

Information on publishers operating specifically in Northern Cyprus (the Turkish-Cypriot administered area) is more limited than on the Greek-Cypriot south. However, several initiatives, events, and examples suggest there is publishing activity of relevance.

• Presidential Cultural Publications (“Kültür Yayınları”)One clear example is the publication Cyprus Cuisine from Tradition to Future, the first under the "Presidential Cultural Publications" which was released in both Turkish and English. This effort is under the purview of the Presidency (First Lady), pointing to public efforts to document and preserve heritage and culture through books.

• Translation efforts / dialect literatureThere are translations of major works into the Turkish-Cypriot dialect. For example, The Little Prince was translated into that dialect and released in the north. This kind of work both preserves local speech forms and makes internationally known stories accessible in local idiom.

• Diaspora & cross-community publicationsSome authors connected with Northern Cyprus have published in English or through publishers outside the north, or in bilingual editions. These efforts help bring the realities of the north to wider audiences. For example, Turkish Cypriot Identity in Literature is a bilingual collection of papers that includes voices from the north.

Note: A lot of small-scale publishing may be informal, community-based, or underrepresented online. Many books of local interest—on culture, history, religion, folklore—may be published locally by small presses or public bodies with limited distribution.

Bookstores & Sellers

For readers in North Cyprus, buying books depends heavily on language (Turkish, English, sometimes others) and genre. Here are some of the main bookstores, shops, and venues.

Name / Place	What they offer / Special Features	Location / Notes
Rustem Kitabevi (Rüstem Bookshop)	One of the oldest and most beloved bookshops in the north. It has a wide selection of books in English, Turkish, and other languages; local culture, history, art. Also a café-bookshop atmosphere. Venue for cultural events.	In Nicosia (Lefkoşa), in the historic district.
Ozanköy Bookshop	Specialises in both sale and exchange of books, with a variety including children’s, different languages. Also gifts, postcards, etc. A community hub.	Ozanköy village (Kyrenia area)
Martina Cole’s Best Seller Book Store (“Best Seller”)	Two floors, large collection including English literature, wide genre variety, also children’s books, greeting cards etc.	North Cyprus — one of the main sources for English and translated books.
Stationery-books & chain shops	Some chains like Deniz Plaza and Berberoğlu include books and textbooks, stationery, school/educational literature. These are useful especially for students.	Various towns: Nicosia, Kyrenia, Famagusta etc.
Other small shops	There are local shops like “Gülver Ticaret Kitap Kırtasiye”, Uysal Kırtasiye, etc. that may carry books or educational titles mixed with stationery.

What’s Strong & What’s Challenging

Strengths / Unique Features

• Cultural documentation: There is increasing interest in recording local heritage—recipes, dialects, folklore, music. Books that do this are valued, both by locals and by diaspora.

• Multilingual demand: Many readers want English titles (fiction, non-fiction) and also Turkish. Shops that supply both are important.

• Bookshops as spaces: Places like Rustem’s are more than shops—they are communal spaces: café, cultural events, meeting spots. This gives a social value beyond the commercial.

Challenges

• Distribution & scale: Many local books do not reach a wide audience, especially internationally, and may be hard to find.

• Language divides: If you write in English or translate into English, the market is smaller locally—though the diaspora and export help. Publishing in Turkish or dialect may reach more people locally.

• Economic constraints: Costs of publishing (printing, shipping, promotion) are higher, especially for small runs, which can limit what gets published.

• Visibility & digitisation: Some books are hard to find online. Local publishers or authors may not have robust e-book / international distribution channels.

Opportunities & Suggestions

For authors, publishers, and book lovers thinking about the future, here are some ideas:

1. Bilingual / dual-language editions: Publishing works in both Turkish and English (or dialect) can reach both local readers and international audiences.

2. Local publishing partnerships: Encourage collaborations across the divide (North/South), or with publishers abroad, for translation, rights, distribution.

3. Book fairs, reading festivals, events: More events in the north dedicated to literature could help connect readers and writers, raise awareness of small publishers.

4. Digital publishing & online sales: E-books, print-on-demand, online bookstores (local and abroad) can reduce cost and increase reach.

5. Preservation projects: Documenting traditional culture (cuisine, music, dialects) in books helps preserve identity.

Where To Look / What To Buy

If you’re visiting or living in North Cyprus and want to explore:

• Explore Rustem Kitabevi: good for local history, English-language books, café reading.

• Best Seller store is your go-to for English fiction and general trade books.

• Don’t neglect small shops and markets: sometimes gems are found in second hand or smaller selections.

• Check out specialties like cookbooks, cultural books, local authors. The Presidential publications are also interesting for heritage.