Armenian Diary. Tsavd Tanem

This diary is not a guidebook to Armenia, not a description of sights, cuisine, and traditions—but an inner reflection on a great country, heir to ancient Urartu. The author’s perception is unusual: lyricism and tragedy intertwine into a many-voiced symphony that sounds among rocks, ravines, and ancient temples. This journey unexpectedly led the author not only to admiration for the country itself, its culture, and its people, but also to deep compassion sparked by the tragedies of genocide and the Karabakh conflict.

Lyric notes about the Armenian alphabet, Yerevan’s architecture, Gyumri, Geghard, Garni, Noravank are complemented by wonderful legends, and then replaced by records full of anger and pain—an appeal to every person: to think, to empathize, to learn to change the world for the better, to show civic responsibility, and not to limit yourself to small everyday concerns. But in truth it’s impossible to explain what “The Armenian Diary” is about. It can only be read.

Read it binge-style, avidly, straight through to the very last line—without looking away—so that afterward you can return to its beginning and, slowly savoring its unique imagery, read it again.