Why a Booktrail?
1900s: You go to edit a book, you end up sketching the country…
An Armenian Sketchbook
What you need to know before your trail
Grossman took on the task of editing a literal Russian translation of a lengthy Armenian novel. The novel was of little interest to him, but he was glad of an excuse to travel to Armenia. This is his account of the two months he spent there. It is by far the most personal and intimate of Grossman’s works, with an air of absolute spontaneity, as though Grossman is simply chatting to the reader about his impressions of Armenia – its mountains, its ancient churches and its people.
Travel Guide
Armenia
Discover Armenia BookTrail style
“The nationalism of a small nation can, with treacherous ease, become detached from its roots in what is noble and human. It then become pitiful, making the nation appear smaller rather than greater. It is the same with nations as with individuals; while trying to draw attention.”
“The longer a nation’s history, the more wars, invasions, wanderings, and periods of captivity it has seen-the greater the diversity of its faces.”
“The true champions of a nation’s freedom are those who reject the limitations of stereotypes and affirm the rich diversity of human nature to be found.”
“What constitutes the character of a nation is the character of many individual human beings; every national character is in essence, simply human nature. All the worlds nations, therefore, have a great deal in common with one another. The foundation of any national character is human nature. The foundation of national character is simply a particular colouring taken on by human nature, a particular crystallisation of it.”
BookTrail Boarding Pass: An Armenian Sketchbook
Destination/location: Armenia Author/guide: Vasily Grossman Departure Time: late 1900s
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