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Summary: Wonderful, Enlightening book!
Review: I, being a young reader, thought that this book woulg be dull and off the point. But, since I come from an armenian background, I decided to read it anyway. I delighted in the familiarity of the costums, eating dolma on sunday eavnings, making choreg with my grandmother, etc.. I enjoyed enveloping myself with the familiar warmth of family and christianity when i sat down to read this book. Reading This book has been an enlightening experience and I Highly recomend it.
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Summary: P.S. "Political correctness" is meant positively.
Review: In my review of "Black Dog of Fate," I used the term "political correctness" to express the views likely to be held by intelligent, well-educated Americans with liberal political views. I would want to make it very plain that exactly these people should read Peter Balakian's book and become aware of the Armenian Genocide. The fear expressed in the review is that it might also become too tempting to read the book as a piece of belles-lettres for this reason, which is also the source of the comment about its being well put together and packaged in that sense, not in the commercial. The book succeeds brilliantly at what it is meant to do. The thrust of the review is that it is best read as an introduction to the issue which is very competent but not exhaustive.
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Summary: Title: We are what we eat, or The Unknown Holocaust?
Review: Many, if not all immigrant peoples, who came to America wanted more than "opportunity." Some of those who came sought survival more than anything else. Peter Balakian tells so well the deeply felt story of his family's survival and rebirth in the world full of promise that was America. The story initially relates, through Balakian's eyes, his upbringing in the northern NJ suburbs in the 50's and 60's. The reader is introduced to his immigrant ancestors,especially his maternal grandmother, Nafina. She is Balakian's cultural focal point and "heart" of the family. Through her, and especially her cooking, he begins to learn what it means to be Armenian. At the outset of the story, these special foods provide a sense cultural identity. It gently leads to an explanation so many children and grandchildren of immigrants seek in America (who are we?). Balakian's curiosity will not be satified directly by his parents or grandmother(he was too young then). His perserverance is eventually rewarded by a tale of family suffering and horror. The persecution and outright genocide of the Armenian people in their homeland at the hands of their Turkish overlords begs comparison to the globally recognized holocaust of the Jews later in the 20th century. These stories are not the objective observations of the historian, but first-person accounts of terror and suffering. The thought provoking part for the reader is learning that, to this day, Turkey will not acknowledge the event, much less offer apology. There seems to be a "blind eye " turned to this by the U.S. government and certain academics as well. Read this and experience the comforting warmth of familial love and the supressed pain and suffering of a people, now Americans, who still crave justice while trying to spare their children from the horror they experienced.
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Summary: Eye-opening saga of an Armenian-American
Review: My boyfriend is Armenian and once mentioned the genocide that took place in April, 1915. I had no idea what he was referring to and was embarrassed at my lack of education... Since America has decided to ignore the Armenian tragedy in all of its history books, I took it upon myself to become more educated on these events and share what happened with everyone I know. I bought this book to learn more about the Armenian culture through the eyes of someone who was also just beginning to learn about his own culture as he grew up in America. I found that Peter Balakian's book was one of the most eye-opening, identifiable stories of Armenian history. Even his descriptions of the various Armenian foods made my mouth water and my stomach ache with hunger. My mother and father (who are German and Filipino) are now reading this story as well. We often comment on how shocked and amazed we are at how such tragic events happened to the Armenian people and which went totally unpunished, much less acknowledged, by world leaders and historians to date. It's absolutely shameless that Turkey would go on the record as having denied that such a genocide even took place. The resulting evil effects of the Armenian massacre have been felt worldwide throughout many generations. Hitler himself once stated in a speech on August 22, 1939, "Who after all is today speaking of the destruction of the Armenians..." He said this in preparation for the invasion of Poland and he subsequently planned to use the Armenian genocide as a model for his Jewish concentration camps, expecting that the world would ignore his actions just as it ignored the massacre against the Armenians. Buy this book and educate yourself about a large piece of history that must never be forgotten. You won't be disappointed.
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Summary: Excellently written book about the TRUTH!
Review: My sister and I are both Armenian and recently completed this book. We both found the book to be emotional, enlightening, and informative. This book opens the readers eyes to the truth about what occurred in 1915. Thousands of Armenians perished under the Young Turks. We applaud anyone who takes the time to read these types of books or even better, write a book like this.
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Summary: Bible for EVERY Armenian home
Review: Peter Balakian is an elitist in the best sense of the word. Being a memoir written by a son of a physician it is intricately interwoven with the past of the Armenian tragic history. It is a dynamite of revelations for those unfamiliar with the history and others seeking esthetic indulgence. Some "sub stories" in the novel are themselves plots for separate novels. Mr. Balakian generously and meticulously has opened up his heart and wisdom to those still remembering and honoring their past and present as humankind.
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Summary: A powerful story worth reading for everyone.
Review: Peter Balakian's memoir is a fascinating book that will make you appreciate and understand the sacrifices and horrors our ancestors had to face during the genocide. The survivor stories are incredible but terribly unnerving. For anyone of Armenian descent this should be required reading.
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Summary: Poorly written but a story that needs to be told.
Review: Peter Balkian had a story that needs documenting and telling for the exposure of the hidden genocide of the Armenian people. Unfortunately, in my opinion his descriptions are superficial and trite and lack the depth and texture that a good writer brings to any work. For instance, while describing the lighting in his kitchen he uses the word 'strange'. Give me a break. Then he describes the shapes of the Armenian pastry Lamka as that of something from outer space. One can barely wade through this type of prose to get to the true story here. One wishes that this author spent more time developing the texture of this prose. I hate the way it is written and anyone that can get through deserves a prize.
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Summary: Armenians first, Jews yesterday, Kosovo today---tomorrow?
Review: Please make a correction to my submitted review. Change the spelling of holocost to holocaust. Thank you.
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Summary: Powerful story of an Armenian-American finding his history
Review: Prior to reading this book, my only knowledge of Armenian culture was the exotic musical instruments an associate of mine played as occasional accoutrements on my musical works. Intrigued by how little I knew about what Armenia was, I began reading this book. It is a powerful account of how a persons history defines them and their life, whether they realize it or not. This book affected me like no other has in recent memory. The search for ones own recent past is an enormously important part of defining ones place in history, and in the world. The fact that Mr. Balakian's own personal identity surfaces as his knowledge of his family's past is revealed is a potent reminder of the importance of culture in identity, and a powerful reminder of how forgotten the Armenian genocide is today.
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