Many Hills Yet to Climb: Memoirs of an Armenian Deportee

Many Hills Yet to Climb: Memoirs of an Armenian Deportee

Minassian, John.
Santa Barbara: Jim Cook, 1986, 255 pages. ISBN 0-936941-00-6.

"The fire of hatred had spread all over the world, consuming everything that was noble in the human heart. The world lost its equilibrium and reversed all the values of life. Truth lost face, criminals became heroes, and liars, patriots! Demagogues' shouts silenced the wise. People in power become gods and their followers dance to the tune these gods play. In a whirlpool of motion we have lost all reason."

Description:
The memoirs of John Minassian, who witnessed the loss of his family and friends, but managed to escape with his life by concealing his identity. In this book, Minassian recalls the city of his birth, Sivas, and a way of life long vanished, the American missionaries who taught him English, and the hardships of deportation. He reflects quietly upon the fear of finding himself separated from those he could trust and the uncertainties of the war years. Written thoughtfully, who no resentment about the past, the author asks, "How much have we learned from experience?"

Sample Chapters:

• Armenia under Turkish Rule
• The Missionaries
• Deportation
• The Orphanage
• Escape
• The Joy of Being Alive
• Tragedy of Survival