Four new books have been released in the Armenian Series of The Press at California State University, Fresno, in 2020. The Armenian Series was founded through the Armenian Studies Program with funding established by the M. Victoria Karagozian Kazan and Henry S. Khanzadian Kazan Endowment. The new books represent volumes eight through 11 in the series.
Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, general editor of the Armenian Series and Berberian Coordinator of the Armenian Studies Program, said the series is important because it brings Armenian history, literature and culture to a broader audience.
“I have enjoyed working with the authors in the editing process. I find the entire creative process from the first manuscript to the final book to be very satisfying,” said Der Mugrdechian. “The new publications cover a variety of topics which will be of interest to all.”
Bedros Keljik’s Armenian-American Sketches
By Bedros Keljik; edited by Christopher Atamian, Lou Ann Matossian, and Barlow Der Mugrdechian (9 x 6, 195 pp. ISBN 13: 978-0-912201-61-1) Volume 8 in the Armenian Series, of The Press at California State University, Fresno. In English. Available from Amazon and Abril Books.
Armenian-American Sketches includes 29 short stories written originally in Armenian by Bedros Keljik. Twenty of the short stories were translated by noted translator Aris Sevag, one by Lou Ann Matossian. Eight of the stories published, initially in Baikar, were translated by Vartan Matiossian.
“Keljik’s stories offer us a glimpse into the soul of the Armenian people, whether in their historic homeland or finding their way in America,” said Bishop Daniel Findikyan, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern).
Armenians began arriving in America in large numbers at the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They established themselves in communities throughout the United States, maintaining their Armenian culture while also becoming acclimated to life in America. In Armenian-American Sketches, author Bedros Keljik brings to life this period in Armenian-American history. With keen observation, Keljik provides the reader with an often-humorous insight into that life, with all of its sadness and joy, with the sense of community, and with the immigrants’ hard work and challenges. This book will appeal to any reader who seeks to understand the immigrant experience in the United States.
Armenians and Kurds in the Later Ottoman Empire
Edited by Ümit Kurt and Ara Sarafian (9 x 6, 195 pp. ISBN 13: 978-0912201627), Volume 9 of the Armenian Series and number 1 in the Armenian Studies Program Conference Series, The Press at California State University, Fresno. In English. Available from Amazon and Abril Books.
“Armenians and Kurds in the Later Ottoman Empire” has five original articles first presented at a conference entitled “Armenians, Greeks, and Kurds: A People’s History of the Ottoman Empire” organized by Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian of the Armenian Studies Program and by Dr. Ümit Kurt. The conference was held at Fresno State on September 22-23, 2017, and was supported by a grant from the Thomas A. Kooyumjian Family Foundation.
The book, edited by Ara Sarafian and Dr. Ümit Kurt, is a seminal work in the field of Ottoman history. The volume explores the relationship between Turks, Armenians, and Kurds, and brings a new understanding of the dynamics that shaped these interactions.
The First Republic of Armenia (1918-1920) on its Centenary: Politics, Gender, and Diplomacy
Edited by Dr. Bedross Der Matossian (9 x 6, 256 pp. ISBN: 978-0-912201-67-2), Volume 10 in the Armenian Series, of The Press at California State University, Fresno. In English. Available from Amazon and Abril Books.
“The First Republic of Armenia (1918-1920) was born from the ashes of the Armenian Genocide and war. In one of the most critical periods of modern Armenian history, the Republic faced a multitude of external and internal challenges. The Republic of Armenia was significant as the first independent Armenian state since the collapse of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia in 1375. This edited volume provides a multifaceted and interdisciplinary approach to studying the fascinating history of the Republic. Through an analysis of the politics, gender, and diplomacy of the period, the volume enriches our understanding of the short-lived Republic, which played a crucial role in guaranteeing the perseverance of Armenian identity, and ultimately laying the foundation for the modern Republic of Armenia.”
The Armenians of Musa Dagh: From Obscurity to Genocide Resistance and Fame 1840-1915
By Vahram L. Shemmassian (555 pp. ISBN: 978-0912201696), Volume 11 in the Armenian Series, of The Press at California State University, Fresno. In English. Available from Amazon and Abril Books.
The Armenians of Musa Dagh is a comprehensive history of the people of Musa Dagh, who rose to prominence with their resistance to the Genocide in 1915. Dr. Shemmassian presents a thorough analysis of the social, economic, religious, educational, and political history of the six villages which constituted Armenian Musa Dagh. His work focuses on the important period of the mid-nineteenth to the early twentieth century, offering the reader a previously unavailable insight into the people whose courage and persistence ultimately led to their successful self-defense.
The mission of The Press is to publish great literature by both emerging and established voices, scholarly books that expand the horizons of human knowledge, and other works that promote the rich cultural heritage of California’s Central Valley. The Press, housed within the College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State, is the only university press in the California State University system.
The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 