Armenia: A Rugged Land, an Enduring People

I presume even for an Armenian from Armenia this book would be a treasure. For a Diaspora Armenian it is also a refresher course and more. For the novice, it is an eye opener in introducing an ancient country and its people so rich and colorful and yet hitherto known only in fragments. From its title, Armenia : A Rugged Land, an Enduring People, written on the cover, the latter also made to endure and for good cause; this book reveals Armenia deeply yet with clarity and lightness. Easy to read at a glance it also gives one the opportunity to delve into its myriad chapters according to one's interest. Subjects about the land's geography, culture, culinary arts (with recipes), traditions and sayings parade harmoniously and endear the reader to the land. It is a tourist guide and an abridged history book (both ancient and recent) in one. Illustrations, pictures and the excellent layout facilitate the discovery of the land's people as well as world celebrities with roots in Armenia . Archaeology, religion, the arts, legends and fast facts are all laid out in easy to find chapters. The author, Lucine Kasbarian, invites you to her "home" and you feel welcome from the first page. She has given the layman, the student, the tourist, the educator and the specialist a wonderful gift, very hard to find. She has done the hard work many were waiting for, now all you have to do is open the book and enjoy it.

As a Peace Corps nominee assigned to Armenia, I had been looking for books that could provide an up-to-date and comprehensive introduction to this country and its people. Many of the books I acquired on the subject of Armenia seemed parsimonious with details. This book satisfied my hunger for information immediately, with "Fast Facts About Armenia" and with every indispensable chapter that followed. The book covers Armenian history, culture, art and daily life in abundance, and in a style that is easy to read. The accompanying photos and artwork are some of the best I have come across. I have recommended it to other Peace Corps volunteers who, like me, are anxious to discover the many wonders of this fascinating country and people.

"Armenia" possesses all the properties that make it an above-average learning resource for readers -- young and old. It provides access and insight into a country about which there is little awareness. Not only is the reader exposed to a wealth of current information about the region, he/she is inspired to take a virtual journey into the lives of a different people in a foreign land and is invited to explore the contrast it portrays to his/her own lifestyle. The content of "Armenia" is factual, the text uncomplicated, the artwork appealing. Employing a smooth, unobtrusive style, "Armenia" encourages readers to develop understanding and tolerance for cultural diversity. Those in search of contemporary and comprehensive material about Armenia should rejoice in having this rare and worthy resource available to them.-- Gilda Kupelian, Executive Director, Armenian National Education Committee

I work in an industry with a sizable Armenian contingent, and wanted to learn more about the culture. Even though this is ostensibly for school kids, I found it to be a lively, energetic introduction through the history of Armenia, hitting on just about everything you can think of -- the food, culture and the country's sadly tragic history. The amount of research that went into it is impressive, but it's never dull and keeps your interest throughout. Recommended!

With a broad brush, Lucine Kasbarian has managed to capture the wonderful and confounding aspects of one of the world's oldest tribes, the Armenians. But she has also bothered to paint many loving details into this fine primer--the pink and black stones of Armenia, the sparkling subways lit by chandeliers, the pagan rituals that endure in the first Christian nation, and even a recipe for jajukh, the cold yogurt and cucumber soup of summer.-- Mark Arax, Los Angeles Times Reporter and Author of In My Father's Name