Best-selling author Chris Bohjalian receives award in Russia

PanARMENIAN.Net - New York Times best-selling author Chris Bohjalian received a Soglasie (Corcord) Award from the World Armenian Congress and Union of Armenians in Russia in December, for his “devotion to the Armenian nation’s traditions and memory.”

The Soglasie awards ceremony was held at the Grand Kremlin Palace with more than 5,000 community members and guests present, the Armenian Weekly reported.

“I was moved and honored by my visit with the Armenian community in Moscow, and humbled by the award. My hopes for The Sandcastle Girls are that it teaches non-Armenians this part of our history and gives Armenians a sense of pride. This award and the new Russian edition will help accomplish both.”

The Russian translation of The Sandcastle Girls, a novel on the Armenian Genocide, will be published by the Moscow-based Vorak-Media LLC in February 2015.

Publisher Vahe Avanesyan said, “I was very moved when Ara Abrahamyan, the head of the Union of Armenians in Russia, handed the Concord Award to Chris Bohjalian. This award is for the tremendous talent and work Chris has put into the creation of The Sandcastle Girls.”

There is already “a big buzz and a lot of anticipation” for the book in Russia, he added.

The Sandcastle Girls was a New York Times best-seller, and more than a dozen editions and translations of the book have appeared around the world, including Canada (in English and French), Brazil, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Romania, Poland, Norway, Israel, and Armenia.

During his trip, Bohjalian also visited the Spiritual and Educational Center of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Moscow and met with archbishop Ezras Nersisyan, the head of the Russian and New-Nakhichevan Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church.