The National Association for Armenian Studies and Research announced “Armenian-American Sketches” by Bedros Keljik was one of two books selected as the 2020 Sona Aronian Armenian Studies Book Prize winner. The book is Volume 8 in the Armenian Series, published by The Press at California State University, Fresno, and available from Amazon, Abril Books, and the NAASR bookstore.
“Armenian-American Sketches” includes 29 short stories written originally in Armenian by Bedros Keljik. Twenty of the short stories were translated by Aris Sevag, one by Lou Ann Matossian. Eight of the stories published, initially in Baikar, were translated by Vartan Matiossian.
The book was co-edited by Christopher Atamian and Barlow Der Mugrdechian. Keljik provides an often-humorous insight into the late 19th and early 20th century Armenian-American life, including all of its sadness, joy, sense of community, hard work and challenges. The Press’ mission is to publish great literature by emerging and established voices, scholarly books that expand the horizons of human knowledge, and other works that promote California’s Central Valley’s rich cultural heritage. The Press, housed within the College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State, is one of the only university presses in the California State University system.
