Turkish baths: A light onto a tradition and culture  

This is just the briefest mention of a first class book, in English, but published in Turkey, on the history of the Turkish hammam (by which I mean Turkish baths in Turkey).

The book is in two parts, both beautifully illustrated. The first deals with the history of baths in Turkey, with explanations of how they are used and how the bath plays a major part in Turkey's cultural heritage. The second part describes, again with numerous illustrations, fifty of the fifty-seven Turkish baths which are still open in Istanbul today.

Expensive, perhaps, for a softback, but well worth it.

Yılmazkaya, Orhan Turkish baths: A light onto a tradition and culture (Istanbul: Çitlembik, 2003)