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From: Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
Haigazian University
Mexique Street, Kantari, Beirut
P.O.Box. 11-1748
Riad El Solh 1107 2090
Tel: 01-353010/1/2
01-349230/1
Micheline Aharonian Marcom on "Imagining the Armenian Genocide" and
"Diaspora Thinking"
Beirut, April 8, 2009- On March 30 and 31, 2009, Micheline Aharonian
Marcom, a Creative Writing professor at Mills College, California,
delivered two public lectures entitled "Imagining the Armenian
Genocide", and "Diaspora Thinking", in the Haigazian University
Auditorium.
Marcom, who was an American J. William Fulbright specialist at Haigazian
University for two weeks, with the kind services and cooperation of the
Embassy of the USA in Beirut, was introduced on the first day to the
audience by Mrs. Mira Yardemian, the Public Relations Director.
Yardemian talked briefly about Marcom's childhood, as a young girl
growing up in San Francisco, hearing Arabic, French and Armenian;
languages that were both fascinating and frustrating at the same time.
Marcom began her first presentation "Imagining the Armenian Genocide",
by explaining how from her study of languages and literature, she found
a key to her family' s story, and her own, which gave fruition to a
trilogy of books about the Armenian Genocide and its aftermath in the
twentieth century.
Marcom read 3 passages from her book "Three Apples Fell from Heaven",
the first of the trilogy, which was a New York Times Notable Book and
Runner-Up for the PEN/Hemingway Award for First Fiction. The selections
introduced many characters, women, elderly, and children, portraying
their sufferings and tortures during the Armenian Genocide. All
descriptions were inspired by the stories of Marcom's grandmother,
herself a survivor of the 1915 genocide.
The second day, Marcom was introduced by Dr. Arda Elkmekji, Dean of the
Faculty of Arts and Sciences, who appreciated the hard work of the
author in writing her memoirs, as a source of inspiration.
Marcom discussed "Diaspora Thinking", by reading passages from her
second book of the trilogy, the "Daydreaming Boy", which won the PEN/USA
Award for Fiction.
Marcom introduced the main character, Vahe, a young orphan in the "Birds
Nest" Orphanage, in Jbeil, Lebanon. Marcom presents Vahe, and his
constant search for identity, describing his experiences, lifestyle,
emotions and sufferings.
From: Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
Haigazian University
Mexique Street, Kantari, Beirut
P.O.Box. 11-1748
Riad El Solh 1107 2090
Tel: 01-353010/1/2
01-349230/1
Micheline Aharonian Marcom on "Imagining the Armenian Genocide" and
"Diaspora Thinking"
Beirut, April 8, 2009- On March 30 and 31, 2009, Micheline Aharonian
Marcom, a Creative Writing professor at Mills College, California,
delivered two public lectures entitled "Imagining the Armenian
Genocide", and "Diaspora Thinking", in the Haigazian University
Auditorium.
Marcom, who was an American J. William Fulbright specialist at Haigazian
University for two weeks, with the kind services and cooperation of the
Embassy of the USA in Beirut, was introduced on the first day to the
audience by Mrs. Mira Yardemian, the Public Relations Director.
Yardemian talked briefly about Marcom's childhood, as a young girl
growing up in San Francisco, hearing Arabic, French and Armenian;
languages that were both fascinating and frustrating at the same time.
Marcom began her first presentation "Imagining the Armenian Genocide",
by explaining how from her study of languages and literature, she found
a key to her family' s story, and her own, which gave fruition to a
trilogy of books about the Armenian Genocide and its aftermath in the
twentieth century.
Marcom read 3 passages from her book "Three Apples Fell from Heaven",
the first of the trilogy, which was a New York Times Notable Book and
Runner-Up for the PEN/Hemingway Award for First Fiction. The selections
introduced many characters, women, elderly, and children, portraying
their sufferings and tortures during the Armenian Genocide. All
descriptions were inspired by the stories of Marcom's grandmother,
herself a survivor of the 1915 genocide.
The second day, Marcom was introduced by Dr. Arda Elkmekji, Dean of the
Faculty of Arts and Sciences, who appreciated the hard work of the
author in writing her memoirs, as a source of inspiration.
Marcom discussed "Diaspora Thinking", by reading passages from her
second book of the trilogy, the "Daydreaming Boy", which won the PEN/USA
Award for Fiction.
Marcom introduced the main character, Vahe, a young orphan in the "Birds
Nest" Orphanage, in Jbeil, Lebanon. Marcom presents Vahe, and his
constant search for identity, describing his experiences, lifestyle,
emotions and sufferings.