The Armenian Studies Program web page is sponsored by a grant from
The Bertha and John Garabedian Charitable
Foundation, Fresno.
Author Aris Janigian
presented his new book, Riverbig: A Novel, at 7:30PM on Wednesday, April
1, as part of the Spring Lecture Series
of the Armenian Studies Program.
Armenian Studies Program
Director Barlow Der Mugrdechian introduced Janigian, who read several excerpts
from
the book, capturing the spirit and mood of his novel. His intense prose
and vivid imagination combine to make a fascinating book.
This
work is the follow-up
to Bloodvine, Janigian’s acclaimed first novel, and continues the tale
of Andy Demerjian. Having finished college,
returned to farming, and undergone
a chain of disasters, he is now landless. Desperate to support his wife and two
sons, Demerjian embarks
on a series of ventures that put his integrity and
mettle to the test.
The novel brings an
unsettling look at the inner workings of
one family. Set in California’s
Central Valley, and ranging in time from World War II to the drug wars of the
1960s, Riverbig explores
both emotional terrain and physical topography
as it transports the reader through the valley and into the rhythms of rural
life.
The
book is based upon a
tragic and real episode in Janigian’s father’s life. He wrote this book because
“I loved my father, and wanted
to tell the story that he never got around to
telling for himself.”
A second-generation
Armenian American, Aris Janigian was born in
Fresno, California, and currently
lives in Los Angeles with his family. He returns to the Fresno area annually to
work as a grape packer
and shipper. He is the author of Bloodvine and
the coauthor, with April Greiman, of Something from Nothing.
Riverbig was published
in 2008 by Heyday Books and is
available at local bookstores or online at www.heydaybooks.com.