Book gifting day and Armenian politicians’ preferences

February 19, which marks the birthday of Hovhannes Tumanyan (1869-1923), a prominent Armenian writer and publicist famed in literature as the All-Armenian poet, has been annually celebrated as a book-gifting day in Armenia since 2008. 

On this remarkable occasion, Tert.am has conducted a small survey among politicians to reveal their preferences in literature.

Minister of Justice Arpine Hovhannisyan says she has already received her present of the day. “I have already received very good books as a gift; these are works by [Franz] Kafka and Sun Tzu. I myself have not yet managed to make my gifts,” she told our correspondent. 

Margarit Yesayan, a parliament member from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, says she traditionally expects her favorite gift every year on February 19. “Usually, I get books as a present from kids every time on this day,” Yesayan said, adding that she too, prepares gifts for her own grandchildren.

Yesayan, who teaches Public Relations at the Armenian State Teachers’ Training University, confesses that she now has little time for reading.  As for her own preferences, the Republican MP says she enjoys re-reading William Saroyan’s works. “It seems to me at times that what Saroyan did was done by me in my previous life; I feel a kind of affinity for that writer”.

Another book on Yesayan’s desk is Odissey by Homer. “I believe that all the good things in the world have been already created once, so what we do now is just recreating, reading and recomposing them, as we do in sculpture or architecture. I believe that the humanity has already seen its sidereal hour, especially when it comes to literature in books. So we are now just recollecting all that.”

Levon  Martirosyan, another Republican lawmaker whom we contacted for comments, says the day is also a personal holiday for him as it marks his birthday.

“There’s a 107-years interval that separates me from Tumanyan, the great [poet]” he said, adding that he he has neither received or made any gift today.

But Martirosyan admitս that he hasn’t given up the habit of reading. “The books I read are very different. Now, I am reading a book on American diplomacy,” he said.

Describing book gifting as part of human culture, Karine Achemyan of the Republican Party says she is still waiting for her surprise of the day.  “[Reading] reflects a human being’s worldview, sophistication and mentality in general,” she added.

Asked about her personal preference, Achemyan said she likes reading memoirs by celebrated people.

“I was recently reading politicians’ memoirs; now I read about artists. At the moment, I am reading [Andrey] Konchalovsky’s memoirs, which is very interesting.”

Speaking to Tert.am, Tigran Urikhanyan of the Prosperous Armenia party said he is postponing his book-gifting mission until February 25. “My own collection of articles will be published on [February] 24, so I will make my gift then,” he said.