Narine Abgaryan, writer who feels at home only in her native Berd, celebrates birthday today
"Manyunya", "People Who Are Always with Me”, “Three Apples Fell from the Sky", “Happiness of Mura,"Zulali”, “Live on"... these are among the novels and story collections that brought fame to Russian writer of Armenian origin Narine Abgaryan, who is celebrating her 50th birthday today, January 14.
The Armenian writer admitted in one of her interviews that she feels uncomfortable both in Moscow and in Yerevan, adding she feels at home only in her native Berd town.
Asked about the most pleasant compliment for her as a writer in another interview, she noted: "One of the critics said that I write in Armenian, just using Russian words. It was unexpected and very pleasant.”
Narine Abgaryan was born in 1971 in Berd, Armenia, to the family of a doctor and a school teacher. She graduated from Yerevan Brusov State University of Languages and Social Sciences with a teacher's diploma in Russian Language and Literature. Abgaryan is the author of eight books, including her bestselling and prize-winning (Manuscript of the Year 2010 and Russian Literature Prize) trilogy about Manyunya, a busy and troublesome 11-year-old in the small Armenian town of Berd. Abgaryan’s other book for children, “Semyon Andreich”, received the BABY-NOSE from New Literature Prize in 2013, as the best children’s book of the decade. Narine Abgaryan is also the editor of several anthologies of modern Russian prose. Since 1993, Narine has lived in Moscow with her husband and son.
“Manyunya” and “Zulali” have been translated into Armenian by Narine Gijlaryan.
Facebook users have congratulated Narine Abgaryan on her birthday wishing her good health and new successes and looking forward to the writer’s new books.
"She is a good writer, a patriotic person,” a fan said in a comment.
"I love Narine Abgaryan very much. She is a unique person for me, a unique Armenian, an embodiment of kindness and beauty ... Her works radiate light and her writing style makes me smile. At the most difficult times, we feel that Narine Abgaryan is there for us,” another said.