Inalcik wrote this in the 1970s, but it holds up as a primer on the Ottoman Empire. The four sections read very differently to each other - the first is by far the most tedious, outlining the who, what, when of history at a brisk, unleavened pace. There are better alternatives for this, and it could be skipped for those. The book comes to life in the middle two sections, where Inalcik examines the cultural organisation and features of the Empire, looking at how Janissaries, the royal court, the economy and tributes work. This was the most comprehensive account I have yet read of these aspects, making it worth the read.