Book Presentation: Antonia Arslan’s The Book of Mush
Translated into Armenian by Dr. Vartan Matiossian
The Armenian Prelacy of the Eastern United States invites you to a special cultural and literary evening dedicated to one of the most moving works of Armenian Genocide literature.
Friday, October 10, 8:00 PM
St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church, Douglaston, NY
The literature on the Armenian Genocide (Metz Yeghèrn) spans historical accounts, diplomatic reports, eyewitness testimonies, and official political statements. Yet, novels add a unique dimension by embodying history through the lived experiences of its subjects.
Italian-Armenian author Antonia Arslan brings this phenomenological perspective to life in her novel Il libro di Mush (The Book of Mush, 2012), which tells the unforgettable story of three women, a man, and a young boy who, in the midst of massacre and exile, heroically save the priceless Book of Mush, an illuminated manuscript, for posterity. Their story fuses memory, suffering, resilience, and the survival of faith and culture.
This Armenian translation by Dr. Vartan Matiossian is part of a broader legacy of Arslan’s contributions to Armenian identity and literature, following her acclaimed La Masseria delle Allodole (The Skylark Farm, 2004), adapted into a major film by the Taviani brothers in 2007.
Copies of the English translation, Silent Angel (2020, Siobhan Nash-Marshall), will also be available.
Join us for an evening where literature becomes living memory, illuminating both our past and our identity.