Bohjalian to Deliver 21st Annual Vardanants Day Armenian Lecture at the Library of Congress

WASHINGTON (A.W.)—Acclaimed Armenian-American novelist Chris Bohjalian will be delivering the 21st annual Vardanants Day Armenian Lecture at noon on Sept. 1 at the Library of Congress. The lecture entitled “Echoes of Anatolia: An Armenian-American novelist discovers his literary DNA at mid-life,” will take place at the Library of Congress’ Northeast Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building. The event is free and open to the public. The Vardanants Day lecture series is sponsored by the Near East Section of the African and Middle Eastern Division. It is named after the Armenian holiday that commemorates the battle of Avarayr (451 A.D.), which was waged by the Armenian General Vardan Mamikonian and his compatriots against invading Persian troops who were attempting to re-impose Zoroastrianism on the Christian state. As a religious holiday, it celebrates the Armenians’ triumph over forces of assimilation. The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, oﬀering access to the creative record of the United States—and extensive materials from around the world—both onsite and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Oﬃce. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the oﬃcial site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov. Chris Bohjalian is the author of 19 books, including the New York Times bestsellers The Sandcastle Girls, The Night Strangers, Skeletons at the Feast, and The Double Bind. His novel Midwives was a number one New York Times bestseller and a selection of Oprah's Book Club. His work has been translated into more than 25 languages, and three of his novels have become movies. Bohjalian’s most recent novel, The Sleepwalker, was published in Jan. 2017. Bohjalian’s awards include the ANCA Freedom Award for his work educating Americans about the Armenian Genocide; the ANCA Arts and Letters Award for The Sandcastle Girls, as well as the Saint Mesrob Mashdots Medal; the New England Society Book Award for The Night Strangers; the New England Book Award; Russia’s Soglasie (Concord) Award for The Sandcastle Girls; a Boston Public Library Literary Light; a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Trans-Sister Radio; a Best Lifestyle Column for “Idyll Banter” from the Vermont Press Association; and the Anahid Literary Award.

Bohjalian to Deliver 21st Annual Vardanants Day Armenian Lecture at the Library of Congress

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