"The unforgettable tale of a man, a woman, and a nation divided. Written by Raffi, one of Armenia's most popular writers and translated by Mrs. Jane S. Wingate." Although not a novel of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-23 per se, Raffi's masterpiece is as important to understanding the historical context of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in the late 19th century as any history textbook. It can be argued that if Raffi's messages of Armenian self-sufficiency had been more widely heeded, the tragedies of the 1890s and 1915 ...
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"The unforgettable tale of a man, a woman, and a nation divided. Written by Raffi, one of Armenia's most popular writers and translated by Mrs. Jane S. Wingate." Although not a novel of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-23 per se, Raffi's masterpiece is as important to understanding the historical context of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in the late 19th century as any history textbook. It can be argued that if Raffi's messages of Armenian self-sufficiency had been more widely heeded, the tragedies of the 1890s and 1915 might have turned out differently. It was originally published in 1881 and deals with the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 long before the large-scale massacres began. Raffi called for action, unity, and self-reliance. Many of his criticisms of the Armenian community of the time are equally as applicable today as they were nearly 125 years ago. He foresaw what was in store for the Armenians if they did not actively seek to change their fate. The Fool is the only one of Raffi's novels that has ever been readily available in English. This translation by Jane S. Wingate gives modern-day readers access to this important book.
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Add this copy of The Fool (Khent) to cart. $207.00, very good condition, Sold by JOHN LUTSCHAK BOOKS rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from BURLINGTON, WI, UNITED STATES, published 1950 by BAIKAR PRESS.
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Seller's Description:
NEAR FINE WITHOUT D.J. TRANSLATED FROM THE ARMENIAN BY J. S. WINGATE WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY K. A. SARAFIAN. PUBLISHER'S ORIGINAL DARK BLUE CLOTH COVERED BOARDS WITH GILT TITLES TO THE SPINE AND FRONT COVER. BOOK IS ABOUT FINE WITHOUT ANY MARKS TO THE BINDING OR THE TEXT. THE FIRST ENGLISH AND FIRST U.S. EDITION OF THIS ARMENIAN CLASSIC. Set at the time of the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-78, "The Fool" provides invaluable glimpses into social conditions in western Armenia at the time. It portrays the development of an Armenian civil rights movement in Ottoman Turkey. "The Fool" is an account of a heroic struggle to defend ordinary people from the depredations and avarice of Ottoman authorities, neighboring peoples, and a corrupt Armenian establishment. It is the story of a revolutionary struggle to establish a just and civil society in Armenia. In the course of a romantic and hopeful novel, Raffi depicts in detail the way of life of Armenian peasants, their psychology, and the conditions under which they survived. He also portrays the central ideas that fuelled Armenian radical intellectuals of the day.
