Novelties of Armenian literature in the Sverdlovsk Regional Interethnic Library

The first information about the presence of Armenians in the territory of Kievan Rus was recorded already in the XI century, and by the beginning of the XXI century, according to the “Union of Armenians of Russia”, the number of the Armenian diaspora in Russia exceeded 2.5 million people.

The Middle Urals maintained scientific, cultural and friendly ties with Armenia both in Soviet times and after the appearance of borders between states. At the present stage, the development of these contacts is facilitated by the activities of the Armenian community of the Sverdlovsk region “Ani-Armenia”, established in 1988.

For a long time, the fund of the Interethnic Library was replenished with Armenian literature almost exclusively through donations. The year 2023 was a pleasant exception: the library purchased books through the Teacher publishing house, most of which were published in Armenian in Yerevan.

“Ancient Armenia: 100 facts”

This bright and richly illustrated book for children from the “100 Facts” series invites children to discover Ancient Armenia: to get acquainted with the homeland of the Armenians, their origin, Armenian legends and legends. Read entertaining stories about Armenian kings and queens, admire the exploits of heroes, learn about the deeds of the Armenian gods. Get acquainted with the wonderful nature of Armenia. Find out where Eden-paradise – the birthplace of humanity – was located.

Who built the city of Tigranakert, where the “Door of Mher” is located, who is Aramazd, how many letters in the Mashtok alphabet and who invented it – all these fascinating facts you will learn from this book. Its author, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Artak Movsisyan, told young readers in an accessible language about this beautiful and ancient country – Armenia.

Armen Khachikyan “History of Armenia: a brief essay”

This book, written by historian Armen Khachikian, is addressed to Armenians of the Diaspora, as well as readers of different countries interested in the history and culture of Armenia. On the pages of the publication, the path of the formation of the Armenian people and its homeland unfolds from antiquity to the present day. The book also includes historical maps of Armenia from different times.

​”By the will of fate,” the author writes in the preface, “many of our compatriots now live in Russia and in the CIS countries. There are many of them who want to know the history of their people, their contribution to world history. Unfortunately, very few of them speak Armenian, and even then only colloquially. The younger generation of Armenians, who were born far from their homeland, does not know the Armenian language at all […]. Most of the children have never been to Armenia and know about it by hearsay. They are deprived of the opportunity to even read anything about Armenia due to the lack of literature on the history and rich culture of Armenia in Russian. The essay on the history of Armenia is addressed to our Russian-speaking compatriots and all those who are interested in the history of Armenia. The course of events of the Armenian history is presented in a brief form to fit all the material in a small printed form, convenient for transportation and reading.”

Ashot Blbulyan “New Russian-Armenian Dictionary”

This dictionary contains more than 72 thousand words and phrases of the modern Russian literary language, extensive phraseology, relevant socio-political and scientific-technical terminology. Russian Russian translations are based on the latest Russian lexicographic sources. It is intended for specialists in the field of Russian and Armenian, translators, teachers and students of foreign language faculties.

The chapter “The most important spelling rules” placed at the end of the dictionary will also be of great help.

Antoine de Saint-Exupery “The Little Prince” (in Armenian)

Apart from religious books, the French writer Saint-Exupery’s fairy tale “The Little Prince” is the most translated work in the world, its versions have been translated into 382 languages, including, for example, ancient Egyptian. The Armenian language was no exception.

This incredibly touching book was first published 80 years ago and is still a hit for children (and adults!) literatures.

The translation of the work into Armenian for the Antares publishing house was carried out by linguist Nvard Pogosovna Vardanyan. The author’s illustrations are used in the publication.

Hasmik Safaryan “Armenian cuisine” (in Armenian)

Armenian cuisine is one of the oldest on our continent. Armenian culinary traditions originate from ancient times. The tradition and continuity of Armenian cooking are manifested in a very diverse way: in the use of ancient kitchen appliances, in the technology of cooking, in the composition of food raw materials, in the preservation of the taste range, and in the type of favorite dishes. The type of hearth (tonir) and the type of dishes (clay), originally adopted by the Armenians, spread throughout Transcaucasia, influencing the very nature of the dishes.

The names of many dishes of Armenian cuisine are not associated with the composition of the products, as is customary among European peoples, but with the name of the dishes in which they are prepared.

“Armenian cooking is the national image of an Armenian living and creating in all corners of the world,” says the author of this book, Hasmik Safaryan. The recipes collected by her in the publication “Armenian Cuisine” cover all types of dishes: from soups to desserts. And even if you don’t know Armenian at all, photos of cooked dishes will give you an idea of Armenian culinary traditions.

In addition to the books presented in the review, there are also many new publications in the Armenian language, including fiction for adults and children, as well as books about the history of Armenia and famous historical figures. The books have already been received by the fund and are available to readers of the International Library.