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Anthology of Armenian American poetry published in Armenia
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2011-01-29-anthology-of-armenian-american-poetry-published-in-armenia
Published: Saturday January 29, 2011
Yerevan - Armenian-language book Armenian American Poets Writing in
English has been recently translated, compiled and prepared for
publication by David Gasparyan and Armenouhi Ghalachyan of Armenia.
The subject matter is partly taken from David Kherdian's anthology
Forgotten Bread, First-Generation Armenian American Writers, from Aram
Saroyan's Complete Minimal Poems and also Internet sources.
This book and others like it show the result of Armenia's new policy
to explore literature written by Armenians in diaspora in the
languages of countries in which they live.Hranush Hakobyan has been
Minister of Diaspora Affairs since 2008 and has welcomed and supported
such works.
The translators provide an introduction with general background
information on the migration of Armenians to the diaspora throughout
their history and mentions the names of some outstanding poets in
countries such as Romania and Russia as well as America. The first few
Armenian-American poets and writers in America, such as Emmanuel
Varandyan and Leon Surmelian, whose fame developed with their prose
works, are characterized.
The rest of the book describes the first generation of
Armenian-American poets, most of them born in America with biographies
and pictures along with some of their work.
William Saroyan leads the list with a biography and a number of
photographs and poems, though he attained fame with his prose work. He
was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for the play The Time of Your Life. He
rejected the prize.
Leon Srabian Herald, born in historic Armenia, provides a number of
poems for this collection, many of them reminiscent of his old country
village and his nostalgia for it as he lived and wrote in America.
Khachig (Archie) Minassian, William Saroyan's cousin, lived near his
cousin in Fresno. His short poems show momentary life impressions.
David Kherdian, born in Racine, Wisconsin, often writes poems about
his childhood in that city and about his father. His prose work and
his anthologies have also drawn much praise.
Diana Der Hovanessian, born in Worcester, Massachusetts, has
accomplished much with her translations of Armenian poetry into
English and her many books of poetry. A few of her poems appear in
this book.
Harold Bond, who lived in Melrose, Massachusetts, taught poetry
workshops at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education and published a
few volumes of poetry. They are well represented in this book.
Helene Pilibosian, born in Boston, Massachusetts, has explored her
Armenian identity in several books of poems, some of which are
presented in this anthology. In addition, Grady Harp's review of
Histories Twists: The Armenians appears translated into Armenian. The
title of Kherdian's book Forgotten Bread was taken from a line in one
of her poems.
Aram Saroyan, the son of William Saroyan, is very well represented in
this book by many pages dedicated to his work from his Complete
Minimal Poems. A poet and playwright, his work has drawn praise and
awards for its inventiveness and originality of expression.
The Armenian anthology has been privately printed in Armenia.
From: A. Papazian
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2011-01-29-anthology-of-armenian-american-poetry-published-in-armenia
Published: Saturday January 29, 2011
Yerevan - Armenian-language book Armenian American Poets Writing in
English has been recently translated, compiled and prepared for
publication by David Gasparyan and Armenouhi Ghalachyan of Armenia.
The subject matter is partly taken from David Kherdian's anthology
Forgotten Bread, First-Generation Armenian American Writers, from Aram
Saroyan's Complete Minimal Poems and also Internet sources.
This book and others like it show the result of Armenia's new policy
to explore literature written by Armenians in diaspora in the
languages of countries in which they live.Hranush Hakobyan has been
Minister of Diaspora Affairs since 2008 and has welcomed and supported
such works.
The translators provide an introduction with general background
information on the migration of Armenians to the diaspora throughout
their history and mentions the names of some outstanding poets in
countries such as Romania and Russia as well as America. The first few
Armenian-American poets and writers in America, such as Emmanuel
Varandyan and Leon Surmelian, whose fame developed with their prose
works, are characterized.
The rest of the book describes the first generation of
Armenian-American poets, most of them born in America with biographies
and pictures along with some of their work.
William Saroyan leads the list with a biography and a number of
photographs and poems, though he attained fame with his prose work. He
was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for the play The Time of Your Life. He
rejected the prize.
Leon Srabian Herald, born in historic Armenia, provides a number of
poems for this collection, many of them reminiscent of his old country
village and his nostalgia for it as he lived and wrote in America.
Khachig (Archie) Minassian, William Saroyan's cousin, lived near his
cousin in Fresno. His short poems show momentary life impressions.
David Kherdian, born in Racine, Wisconsin, often writes poems about
his childhood in that city and about his father. His prose work and
his anthologies have also drawn much praise.
Diana Der Hovanessian, born in Worcester, Massachusetts, has
accomplished much with her translations of Armenian poetry into
English and her many books of poetry. A few of her poems appear in
this book.
Harold Bond, who lived in Melrose, Massachusetts, taught poetry
workshops at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education and published a
few volumes of poetry. They are well represented in this book.
Helene Pilibosian, born in Boston, Massachusetts, has explored her
Armenian identity in several books of poems, some of which are
presented in this anthology. In addition, Grady Harp's review of
Histories Twists: The Armenians appears translated into Armenian. The
title of Kherdian's book Forgotten Bread was taken from a line in one
of her poems.
Aram Saroyan, the son of William Saroyan, is very well represented in
this book by many pages dedicated to his work from his Complete
Minimal Poems. A poet and playwright, his work has drawn praise and
awards for its inventiveness and originality of expression.
The Armenian anthology has been privately printed in Armenia.
From: A. Papazian