Birds Without Wings, by Louis de Bernieres.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3..._Without_Wings
One of the best pieces of historical fiction I have read, set in a small town as the Ottoman empire falls apart. A very entertaining read, at the same time very enlightening. It carries a very colorful set of timeless characters. I think the author is under-rated and certainly not as well known as he would deserve. I am looking forward to re-reading this book and would recommend it to everyone.