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AUTHOR TO DETAIL GRANDMOTHER'S HARDSHIPS DURING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
By Kristin Ross
SU The Daily Orange
http://www.dailyorange.com/news/author-to-detail-grandmother-s-hardships-during-armenian-genocide-1.2718474
Syracuse University Student Newspaper
Nov 30 2011
NY
Author Peter Balakian will retell the past hardships his grandmother
faced during the Armenian Genocide with Syracuse University students
Wednesday.
Balakian's lecture will continue the Fall 2011 Raymond Carver Reading
Series in Gifford Auditorium. Students from the ETS 107: "Living
Writers" class will conduct a Q-and-A with Balakian about his book
"Black Dog of Fate" at 3:45 p.m., followed by Balakian performing a
reading at 5:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
"Black Dog of Fate," listed as a New York Times Notable Book, is a
memoir that focuses on uncovering the stories of Balakian's ancestry.
The book describes the life of his grandmother, who was a survivor
of the Armenian Genocide just after World War I in the Ottoman Empire.
Balakian is an English professor at Colgate University and has written
multiple poetry collections.
Janine Halsey, an undeclared sophomore in the School of Education,
is enrolled in "Living Writers." Although she said this "bulky,
history-based book" is not her style, Halsey said it was well-written
and is looking forward to hearing what Balakian has to say about it.
She said she first heard of the Armenian Genocide by reading Balakian's
book. But because the book was written as a memoir about Balakian's
life, she said she does not think reading "Black Dog of Fate" is the
best way to inform people of the historical facts about the event,
and it certainly should not be the first source for those looking to
learn about it.
Halsey said she thinks the Armenian Genocide should be taught in
history classes.
"I definitely learned that it was as big of a deal as the Holocaust,"
Halsey said, "but it was interesting that not a lot of people have
heard of it before."
After her class read the book, Halsey said her classmates generally
had a positive reaction to it and, like herself, knew little or
nothing about the Armenian Genocide beforehand.
Mildred Barya, one of the teaching assistants of "Living Writers,"
said she is looking forward to hear Balakian speak about his memoir
and said there are not enough books written like this.
When dealing with traumatic experiences, Barya said people need to
be able to talk openly about them instead of remaining silent for
long periods of time for change to begin.
"It is important to talk for healing to happen, and also for
awareness," she said in an email.
Barya, also a graduate student in the English department, said she
described Balakian as a courageous writer. She said she hopes he
discusses the significance of embracing diversity, tolerance and
inclusion.
Said Barya: "If he can talk about that and shed some light on a
solution, that will be awesome to hear."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
By Kristin Ross
SU The Daily Orange
http://www.dailyorange.com/news/author-to-detail-grandmother-s-hardships-during-armenian-genocide-1.2718474
Syracuse University Student Newspaper
Nov 30 2011
NY
Author Peter Balakian will retell the past hardships his grandmother
faced during the Armenian Genocide with Syracuse University students
Wednesday.
Balakian's lecture will continue the Fall 2011 Raymond Carver Reading
Series in Gifford Auditorium. Students from the ETS 107: "Living
Writers" class will conduct a Q-and-A with Balakian about his book
"Black Dog of Fate" at 3:45 p.m., followed by Balakian performing a
reading at 5:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
"Black Dog of Fate," listed as a New York Times Notable Book, is a
memoir that focuses on uncovering the stories of Balakian's ancestry.
The book describes the life of his grandmother, who was a survivor
of the Armenian Genocide just after World War I in the Ottoman Empire.
Balakian is an English professor at Colgate University and has written
multiple poetry collections.
Janine Halsey, an undeclared sophomore in the School of Education,
is enrolled in "Living Writers." Although she said this "bulky,
history-based book" is not her style, Halsey said it was well-written
and is looking forward to hearing what Balakian has to say about it.
She said she first heard of the Armenian Genocide by reading Balakian's
book. But because the book was written as a memoir about Balakian's
life, she said she does not think reading "Black Dog of Fate" is the
best way to inform people of the historical facts about the event,
and it certainly should not be the first source for those looking to
learn about it.
Halsey said she thinks the Armenian Genocide should be taught in
history classes.
"I definitely learned that it was as big of a deal as the Holocaust,"
Halsey said, "but it was interesting that not a lot of people have
heard of it before."
After her class read the book, Halsey said her classmates generally
had a positive reaction to it and, like herself, knew little or
nothing about the Armenian Genocide beforehand.
Mildred Barya, one of the teaching assistants of "Living Writers,"
said she is looking forward to hear Balakian speak about his memoir
and said there are not enough books written like this.
When dealing with traumatic experiences, Barya said people need to
be able to talk openly about them instead of remaining silent for
long periods of time for change to begin.
"It is important to talk for healing to happen, and also for
awareness," she said in an email.
Barya, also a graduate student in the English department, said she
described Balakian as a courageous writer. She said she hopes he
discusses the significance of embracing diversity, tolerance and
inclusion.
Said Barya: "If he can talk about that and shed some light on a
solution, that will be awesome to hear."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress