FeaturedLiterary Corner
A conversation with Joan Schoettler about “The Honey Jar”
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Joan Schoettler, author of The Honey Jar: An Armenian’s Escape to Freedom.
Talar Keoseyan (T.K.): Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
Joan Schoettler (J.S.): I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, a place I return to often to be with family and for research and inspiration. I have surrounded myself with children’s literature, sharing it with my three sons when they were young. Exploring and researching children’s literature, I
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How can one order The Honey Jar, as well as Talar Keoseyan’s books for young readers? I have two granddaughters of mixed descent (Armenian/American), and I want to help them appreciate their Armenian heritage. They are 8 and 10 years old.
Thank you for your interest in this Armenian story. You may purchase THE HONEY JAR: AN ARMENIAN’S ESCAPE TO FREEDOM FROM your local bookstore, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon.
Helen (Hanum) Kazarian is my paternal grandmother. She died when I was 11. At the time, I knew little about her early years – mainly because a few years earlier, I asked why she limped and needed a special booster to drive. Learning my grandmother was shot in the leg fleeing the Turks of course led to more questions, but not many answers. In the 30 years since, I’ve learned much more about their harrowing journey and having to create new lives in a foreign country, not once, but twice. (Her obituary tells more details about this: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-05-01-me-1362-story.html) The Kazarian family’s immigration to and flourishment in America is a story that continues to this day, over 100 years later, and is a true testament to the resilience, determination, and unwavering spirit of Armenians. Thank you for telling such an important part of their story in such a beautiful way, and ensuring that it is told again and again, as all such stories of our ancestors should be. God bless.