A rare and poignant testimony of a survivor of the Armenian genocide. The twentieth century was an era of genocide, which started with the Turkish destruction of more than one million Armenian men, women, and children-a modern process of total, violent erasure that began in 1895 and exploded under the cover of the First World War. John Minassian lived through this as a teenager, witnessing the murder of his own kin, concealing his identity as an orphan and laborer in Syria, and eventually immigrating to the United States to start his life anew. A rare testimony of a survivor of the Armenian genocide, one of just a handful of accounts in English, Minassian's memoir is breathtaking in its vivid portraits of Armenian life and culture and poignant in its sensitive recollections of the many people who harmed and helped him. As well as a searing testimony, his memoir documents the wartime policies and behavior of Ottoman officials and their collaborators; the roles played by the British, French, and Indian armies, as well as American missionaries; and the ultimate collapse of the empire. The author's journey, and his powerful story of perseverance, despair, and survival will resonate with readers today.

About the Author
John Minassian was twenty when the Armenian genocide occurred. He was the only survivor of his family, and he was ultimately able to emigrate to the United States. His grandson, Roderick Ai Camp, is McKenna Professor of the Pacific Rim at Claremont McKenna College. Wendy Lower, author of the introduction, is director of the Mgrublian Center for Human Rights, John K. Roth Professor of History, and George R. Roberts Fellow at Claremont McKenna College. Her book, Hitler's Furies: German Women in the Nazi Killing Fields (Mariner Books 2013), was a National Book Award finalist.


Book Information
ISBN 9781538133705
Author John Minassian
Format Hardback
Page Count 288
Imprint Rowman & Littlefield
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield
Weight(grams) 603g
Dimensions(mm) 241mm * 162mm * 26mm