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ARA
BALIOZIAN
Biography |
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http://www.umd.umich.edu/dept/armenian/literatu/baliozia.html
Ara Baliozian is
an Armenian author, translator, and critic, born in Athens,
Greece on December 10, 1936. He received his education at the
Mekhitarist College of Moorat-Raphael in Venice, Italy, where he
also studied economics and political science at the University
of Ca Foscari. He now lives in Ontario, Canada, where he devotes
his full time to writing. He has been published in both Armenian
and English. He is also the winner of many prizes and government
grants for his literary work, which includes fiction, drama,
literary criticism, and translations from Armenian, French and
Italian. He now mostly posts his works on different Armenian
internet discussion boards. |
Ara Baliozian
( Compiled By Shant Norashkharian )
Ara Baliozian is one of the greatest
Armenian contemporary writers, but unfortunately most Armenians
do not know about him or his works. He has published close to 20
books over the last 20 years and is acclaimed highly by the
foreign media, like Gosdan Zarian and Shahan Shahnour before
him, which goes to prove that our anti-establishment writers are
not rejected because of the literary quality of their works, but
only because of their ideas and their criticism of the Armenian
establishment. Armenian papers used to publish his
commentaries/book reviews, but lately he has been ignored by
most of them (Armenian Life Weekly and New Life [Nor Gyank]
which had been publishing his writings for years, among other
papers, have been turning down his works lately).
Baliozian's last book, PAGES FROM MY
DIARY (1986-1995), distributed by Armenian Reference Books Co.,
PO Box 231, Glendale, Ca 91209, Tel. (818) 504-2550, is only 96
pages long but speaks volumes. Here is the summary of his
biography from the back cover of this book:
Writings about him: Terzian,
Lawrence. Preserverance: Ara Baliozian and the Armenian Cause
(Kitchener, Ont.: Impressions, Publishers, 1990). |
LAST WRITING
Saturday,
January 8, 2011
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * *
FROM MY NOTEBOOKS
* * *
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The shortest book in the world:
HUMAN RIGHTS IN ARMENIAN HISTORY.
* * *
Pragmatism always asks: What is the practical or cash value
of an idea?
If nothing or negative, it may be safely ignored. Hence the
official American reluctance to use the G word. The “cash” value
of Armenian friendship is less than the value of Turkish loyalty
in the Middle East.
* * *
Armenian academics are quintessential pragmatists. They
would never write a single line against God and capital – make
it, Capital and god; and when I say god, I mean of course the
god of imams and bishops.
* * *
What if the first thing we say after we die is neither “I
was right,” or “I was wrong,” but nothing?
* * *
We have nothing to fear from God, but everything to fear
from men who speak in His name.
* * *
For a thousand years we were not allowed to shape our
destiny. We know now that our so-called declaration of
independence changed nothing.
* * *
Because for more than a thousand years we have been abused
by alien tyrannies, we assume abuse and tyranny to be an
integral part of the human condition, very much like death and
taxes.
* * *
Whoever said “friends are God's apology for relatives,” knew
what he was saying. Whenever I think of my relatives, I look
forward to Alzheimer's. |
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Monday, January 10, 2011
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * *
THINGS THEY DON'T TEACH IN SCHOOLS
* * * * * *
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Tuesday, January 11, 2011
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
FROM MY NOTEBOOKS
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Real
education begins
after you drop out or graduate.
* * *
God is an absentee landlord.
We remind ourselves of this fact whenever we say
“Our Father, Who art in heaven.”
* * *
You may not be Samson
and she may not be Delilah
but the only thing
you will get from her for nothing
is a haircut.
* * *
Gandhi on the British in India:
“A satanic force.”
Churchill on Gandhi:
“A malignant subversive fanatic,”
“a thoroughly evil force,”
and “the most successful humbug.”
* * *
Even our betters don't always know better,
and sometimes what they pretend to know
may well be worse than ignorance. |
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A
headline in my morning paper reads:
“Oldest known winery unearthed in Armenia.”
We now have anoither thing to brag about:
we are the offspring of winos.
* * *
I was brought up to respect my elders and I did,
until I became an elder myself.
* * *
To speak of God amounts to translating an incomprehensible text
into a non-existent language.
* * *
To judge a religion by its scriptures
or an ideology by its political platform
is as absurd as judging a man by his intentions
as opposed to his actions.
Religions and ideologies should be judged by their history.
* * *
Every time a man speaks the truth
he makes a thousand enemies;
that’s because for every bitter truth
there are a thousand sweet lies
and as many dupes who hate to give up their illusions. |
Wednesday,
January 12, 2011
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* * *
I MAY HAVE SAID THIS BEFORE ...
* * * * * *
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... But it bears repeating.
* * *
A revolution in which the revolutionaries survive
but the people perish by the million.
* * *
A status quo in which the offspring
of the very same revolutionaries
now say to the offspring of the victims:
“We promise to get even with the Turks
provided we have your financial support.” |
“In politics,” it has been said,
“lies are called promises.”
* * *
In the Homeland, rule by mafia.
In the Diaspora, rule by fund-raisers.
* * *
A nation of sheep
deserves wolves as leaders.
* * *
Our collective IQ is negative. |
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