For centuries, Turkey has been a country of intrigue and mystery. Modern Turkey, too, is a country of paradoxes, both European and Asian, modern and traditional, secular and strongly Muslim. Yet one family discovers, in the midst of it all, there’s much to be treasured at the core of Turkey’s mystique. Eat the Grapes, Don’t Fight the Battles is a must-read voyage of three family members as they move to Turkey for a two-year adventure.

After thirty-seven years of teaching, Craig Johnson takes an early retirement and searches for meaning in this new phase of his life. His only plans: to get away and experience something unusual. His wife is open to a new beginning, yet is unsure about leaving her home behind for unfamiliar lands. Johnson’s sixteen-year-old daughter, while enthusiastic about the idea of living abroad, can’t identify Turkey on a map.

In his touching, thoughtful, and humorous voice, Craig Johnson explores the journey of teaching youth in a Turkish school while overcoming culture shock, reconciling family dilemmas, and embracing the unpredictability of living thousands of miles from home. The cards stack up against this Minnesotan family as they strive to achieve normalcy in a world of challenges, but they learn in the end that cultural discovery can mend the fences of their own fears, biases, and vulnerabilities.

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About the author

Craig Johnson is a first-time author and lifelong educator. His thirty-nine-year career ended in Izmir, Turkey, which is the subject of this book. He is retired and he and his wife Jean live in Minneapolis.

Since returning from Turkey, Jean has been working for the Hennepin County Library System as a technology trainer.

Jennifer graduated from the University of Virginia. She spent two years teaching English in Japan and then received a Master’s degree in theological studies from Bethel Seminary. She presently works in communications for a church in Minneapolis.