Abril Bookstore in Glendale, Calif., will host the world premiere book launch for "The Armenian Highland" by author Matthew Karanian on April 9.

"The Armenian Highland" is a beautifully illustrated historical guide to the ancient homeland of the Armenians—lands that are commonly known today as Western Armenia or Historic Armenia.

This impressive 312-page volume provides a unique perspective on the Armenian past that has survived in Ani, Kars, and Western Armenia—all lands that are outside the borders of today’s modern Republic of Armenia.

Author Matthew Karanian brings these ancient Armenian lands alive through a masterful combination of story-telling, historic maps, and more than 200 photographs—both modern and ancient.

Karanian first signals to the reader his intent to resurrect the Armenian past through his use of the geographic term Armenian Highland as the title of the book.

For millennia, the Armenian Highland was recognized as the name of the vast highland plateau of Asia Minor—the homeland of the Armenians. The name was purged from most maps in the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide.

Karanian revives the name, just as he seeks to revive ancient Armenia. The result is a book that proudly showcases an Armenia that has rarely been seen since 1915.

Matthew Karanian is a second generation Armenian American who lives in Pasadena. He is a lawyer and the author of several books about Armenia.

‘The Armenian Highland’ will also be presented at California State University, Fresno at 7 pm on Thursday, April 11, 2019.