Passage to Ararat (Hungry Mind Find)

by Clark Blaise, Michael J. Arlen

Release Date: May, 1996

Edition: Paperback

Price:

More Info

I just couldn't get into it...

While I myself am an Armenian and enjoy books about the heritage, I couldn't seem to really get into this one. For some reason his writing style just didn't appeal to me. I picked it up twice during the summer and a few more time since then during the year but I still haven't been able to get through the entire thing. It's not that it was dry, it just didn't capture my attention. It had a very slow, pensive feel to it that kept me from getting into the storyline. I was never interested to see where he took the book next.

A wonderful journey

Arlen follows--and surpasses--his father's (Michael Arlen, author of the famous "Green Hat" of the 1920s) footsteps with this piece. Never having really discovered what exactly it meant to be Armenian, Arlen actually travels there, in search of his roots. My favorite part of this book was how masterful Arlen is at weaving in history with personal experience. Nobody wants to sit and read a textbook; Passage to Ararat is a pleasant read, particularly how it reads so much like a novel. Anyone wanting to try to understand more about the Genocide should get this book, or for those searching for their "inner Armenian." Arlen takes you on his version of the journey. Get a copy before it goes out-of-print!