translations from Shahnour

QUOTATIONS FROM
SHAHAN SHAHNOUR'S
CORRESPONDENCE, VOLUME II.
Collected, edited, and annotated by Krikor Keusseyan.
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On Vazken Shoushanian:
"I have read only one book by him, an epistolary novel, which is a definite failure because it happens to be a youthful work. Has he written anything better? I asked this question to an associate of his, Nartuni, who answered: "He is a worthless man. He will write nothing of any value."
I don't accept this verdict at face value because these two Tashnaks can't stand each other."
*
On Antranik Zaroukian:
"When he was young, he was a fanatic Tashnak. And more. He confused swearing with reasoning. He is wrong if he thinks I hold a grudge against him. No, never! Even if he had remained an obstinate partisan I could not have harbored vengeful thoughts in his direction, only pity and scorn."
*
About the shenanigans of the Jerusalem Monastery:
"Among other thing, Nartuni told me all about the wheeling-and-dealing in Jerusalem and the scandalous conduct of our Holy Fathers there - their alcoholism, contrabandism, womanizing, gambling, thievery…He knows them well having spent some time in their company. He tells me these high-ranking ecclesiastics are themselves former orphans [survivors of the massacres] gathered from the desert. Alas!"
*
On our press:
"In order for our press to play a useful role in our social and political life, there must be such things as public opinion and collective memory, in whose absence blunders will be forgotten and incompetent leaders glorified."
*
On the literary scene in the Diaspora:
"Our literary market place is now in the hands of senior citizens - Vratsian, Chobanian, Oshagan - individuals who don't have to work for a living and they have all the time in the world to write and write…Let them write so long as they don't give us a headache with their endless arguments and senile problems."
*
In my recent review of this book I neglected to mention that half of it consists of endnotes, that can be read as a brief introduction to 20th-century Armenian history and culture. In addition to being a dedicated fan of Shahnour, Krikor Keusseyan is a meticulous scholar whose comments are as informative as Shahnour's observations and insights.
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