Aaron Spagnolo
Author Chris Bohjalian will be in Watertown to mark the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
Chris Bohjalian – 10-time New York Times bestselling author – will appear at the Watertown Free Public Library on March 26, as ‘One Book, One Watertown 2015’ reads “The Sandcastle Girls“ in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
The library staff invites the community to read Chris Bohjalian’s The Sandcastle Girls, and to join us in March for programs which commemorate and explore the Armenian Genocide, its history, and legacy, and Armenian culture today.
The novel is a cross-generational family saga that spans the 20th century and the miles from Aleppo and Der-el-Zor, Syria in 1915 to Boston, New York and Watertown in the present day. Though a work of fiction, this bestselling novel will serve as a powerful catalyst for conversation and remembrance.
Copies of The Sandcastle Girls are available throughout the library. Large Print, Book on CD, Playaway, eBook and eAudio formats are also available.
Schedule of Events:
(All programs take place at the Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main Street, Watertown, MA)
Wednesday evening, March 4 at 7 p.m. Community Book Discussion We invite the entire community to join our Adult Book Group and two of our Adult Librarians as we discuss The Sandcastle Girls.
Thursday evening, March 12 at 7 p.m. American Missionaries During the Armenian Genocide. Barbara Merguerian, Ph.D, Vice President of the Armenian Library & Museum of America, will explore the role of American missionaries who brought aid to the Armenian people, and the challenges they faced in their work in the Middle East.
Saturday afternoon, March 14 at 2 p.m. the Armenian folk-jazz fusion group Musaner will present a concert of vibrant new compositions grounded in a legacy of Armenian folk music. In Musaner’s hands, traditional folk tunes gain a vigorous new life. Every member of the ensemble comes to Armenian folk-jazz fusion from a different musical background, and their collaboration has produced a style that incorporates diverse genres while respecting the music’s Armenian folk roots.
Thursday evening, March 19 at 7 p.m. the library will screen Armenian Exile, a video self-portrait by Hagop Goudsouzian. Filmed on location in Armenia, the filmmaker chronicles his quest for identity, as he discovers what his Armenian heritage means to him in the Diaspora. Born in Egypt, Hagop Goudsouzian is a Canadian filmmaker of Armenian descent. Mr. Goudsouzian has produced and directed over 250 television programs.
Thursday evening, March 26 at 7 p.m. the library welcomes Chris Bohjalian, author of The Sandcastle Girls, to talk about his experience writing the book, and the upcoming 100thanniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Light refreshments by Sevan Bakery will be served beginning at 6:30 p.m. and books will be available for purchase from Back Pages Books of Waltham. Tickets are required and space is limited for the event. Tickets may be purchased at the library’s Circulation Desk for $5 each (cash or check only, limit 4 per person) beginning Feb. 26.
March in the Gallery: Alik Eleyjian Throughout the month of March the library’s T. Ross Kelly Family Gallery will feature the work of local artist Alik Eleyjian. Born in Aleppo, Syria and raised in Watertown, Eleyjian will fill the gallery with multimedia creations crafted specifically for this show. Much of the artist’s work is inspired by thematic elements in traditional Armenian texts.
The public is cordially invited to attend any and all One Book, One Watertown events. Tickets are required for the Meet the Author: Chris Bohjalian event. All other One Book events are free and do not require prior registration.