The Armenian Studies Program Spring Lecture Series will feature author Markar Melkonian on Tuesday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Melkonian will discuss his new book, “My Brother’s Road: An American’s Fateful Journey to Armenia” in his speech in Industrial Technology Building, room 101, at the corner of Barstow and Campus Drive at California State University, Fresno. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.
“My Brother’s Road” is the story of Melkonian’s brother, Armenian national hero Monte Melkonian. Born in the San Joaquin Valley, Monte Melkonian grew up to become a promising archaeologist, witness to revolution in Iran, militiaman in the streets of Beirut, guerrilla in southern Lebanon, prison strike leader in France and commander of 4,000 fighters in the Karabagh War in the last days of the former Soviet Union.
As Monte Melkonian’s comrade and sometimes-critic, Markar Melkonian shared the dangers and hopes of the road for a while with his brother. “My Brother’s Road” is the product of eight years of research and writing and draws from hundreds of interviews and thousands of documents in four languages on three continents.
Markar Melkonian is a third generation Californian, a teacher, writer and veteran solidarity worker. He holds several graduate degrees, including a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Melkonian’s books include “Marxism: A Post-Cold War Primer” and “Richard Rorty’s Politics: Liberalism at the End of the American Century.”
Markar Melkonian is founder and a director of The Monte Melkonian Fund, Inc., a nonprofit organization that assists the needy in the impoverished former Soviet Republic of Armenia.
The lecture is co-sponsored by the Armenian Studies Program and the Armenian Students Organization. Relaxed parking will be available in Lots Q, K, and L after 7 p.m. For more information, please contact the Armenian Studies Program at (559) 278-2669.
