Karageuzian does not shy away from the gruesome conditions inflicted on the Armenian people in this heart-breaking chronicle of destruction and death. With the dual perspective of hailing from Lebanon and growing up in the United States, she also explores the "devastating" emotions of major historical moments in Armenian and American history, such as the signing of the Treaty of Sevres. As she describes meeting her newfound family, readers glimpse the horrifying, rippling effects of the Armenian Genocide: "[I] realized that they did not speak Armenian, were not versed in Armenian history or the details of the Genocide, and even their last name was changed,” she writes, sharing that she “was overwhelmed with the enormity of the crime committed against my nation."
Karageuzian maps out, from her own lifespan, Armenian history, starting with "the late summer day in 1978, when the first bomb fell" up to 2021, when President Joe Biden "became the first American President to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide in the annual White House statement on Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.” Though the topic and subject matter is tragic, Karageuzian writes about her family's background and culture with pride and great care, fashioning this into a well-documented homage to her Armenian heritage. Fans of historical memoirs intertwined with family histories will be captivated.
Takeaway: Impassioned historical memoir charting the devastation of the Armenian Genocide.
Comparable Titles: Fethiye Cetin’s My Grandmother, Aram Haigaz's Four Years in the Mountains of Kurdistan.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
In the book Forbidden Homeland: Story of a Diasporan, author Katia Tavitian Karageuzian shares her experience in solving mysteries concerning her family history rooted in the Armenian Genocide and the Karabakh Conflict. As an immigrant born in Lebanon, Karageuzian describes her discovery of long-lost relatives that she knew nothing about. This snowballs into almost a decade’s search for the involvement of America in Armenia and the generational trauma that was inherited as a result of this conflict. Furthermore, she exposes injustices still continuing in the ongoing wars in Transcaucasia, including withholding aid for Armenians starving in Artsakh.This book has a rich history of geopolitics and most ‘superpower’ countries’ political roles outside their country. It shows that foreign policy affects people in traumatic ways worldwide if misused. Furthermore, the book articulates so much resiliency, generational trauma, and crimes against humanity that occurred, which are not talked about in many forums or books. It is written very vividly, which evokes emotion from the reader to research and familiarize themselves with everyday politics and policies.One of the most chilling accounts she described was the feeling that her sister and she were being watched while waiting in front of Hotel Al Bustan in the middle of a sandstorm, and the statement, “Practically every Armenian family has a Genocide story because practically every Armenian is the descendant of a Genocide survivor.” The book is truly a five-star read. Its title is befitting because, as an immigrant, Karageuzian is extremely emotional and factual about the homeland that was always forbidden and forgotten. She also includes pictures of her homeland and her relatives to show life before and after the war.Forbidden Homeland: Story of a Diasporan is an emotionally charged memoir examining the author’s family’s history and heritage. With heartbreaking and thought-provoking stories, this biography will give readers much to think about and reflect on.Pages: 386 | ASIN : B0BPMV4TNX
