Between two floods- Independence and Armenian Poetry


The first years of independence were also a period of great changes for Armenian poetry. Today, many years later, a number of questions arise: how did poetry respond to that important historical event both in terms of content and form, why was independence not praised, how did the poets change and where did the readers disappear, were lasting works created? Literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan, Arkmenik Nikoghosyan and Hasmik Hakobyan are debating these questions.

Boundaries of a biographical novel


Autobiographical novels became very popular in Armenian literature in the 1930s. Stepan Zoryan's "A Life Story", Vahan Totovents's "Life on the Ancient Roman Road", Gurgen Mahari's "Childhood" and "Youth", Zapel Yesayan's "Gardens of Silichtar" novels were published. At the same time, biographical novels began to be written about cultural, social, political, and other prominent figures. What are the characteristics of autobiographical works? Are there any significant differences and boundaries between biographical-documentary novels and just between works about a famous person? Literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan are debating in "Parallel Readings".

The image of Komitas in Armenian literature


With the transfer of Komitas's body to Armenia, his "literature" began. Through the poem "To Komitas Vardapet" by Kostan Zaryan and Yeghishe Charents' poem "Reqiem aeternam" (in memory of Komitas) we can say that the Armenian literature of Komitas originated. What is Komitas like as a literary figure, with what accents does he stand out? Is the portrait of the literary Komitas complete in our literature? Literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan are debating in "Parallel Readings".

Poetic prayers


Many famous authors of Armenian and worldwide literature have written literary prayers, which often deviate from the canonical church prayers and become other works. Literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan discuss poetic prayers in "Parallel Readings".

The books of our childhood


Alexander Dumas and Jules Verne, Hovhannes Tumanyan and Saint Exupéry, Vakhtang Ananyan and Mark Twain. We read the books of these and other authors during our childhood. Today's child and young reader, of course, has other preferences. How did the books of our childhood make us? What can they give to today's readers?  Literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan are debating in "Parallel Readings".

Famous and unknown women of famous writers


Who were the wives of famous Armenian writers, what role did they play in their lives, is it a special status to be a wife of a writer or famous writer?  Literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan are debating in "Parallel Readings".

Translation work in Armenia


The last decade is considered to be an ascension period of artistic translation in Armenia. Translated from dozens of languages, well-known and unknown works of world literature are presented to the Armenian reader. What contributed to the development of the translation work, what is being translated today, why and how? Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan are debating.

Aghasi Ayvazyan. Armenians and the world


Prose writer, playwright, screenwriter, director Aghasi Ayvazyan is a Soviet-Armenian, also one of the most unique faces of Armenian prose of the independence period. Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan debate the work of Aghasi Ayvazyan, first of all known to the general reader as the screenwriter of "Father" and "Triangle" films, in particular his prose on the topics of Armenian identity and relations with the world. 

How the poem disappeared


"Literary Generation of the 1960s": Hovhannes Grigoryan, Henrik Edoyan, Artem Harutyunyan, David Hovhannes, Samvel Kosyan, Armen Martirosyan ...
How was this generation formed, what news did it bring, what role did their creation play in the history of Armenian poetry?  Literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan are debating.

The taste and smell of Armenian literature


Various ideas and motives related to the meaning of food have been reflected in ancient rituals, myths, other folklore works and literature. They are seen as realities of public life, cultural food habits, important indicators of identity, and acquire artistic functions in the literature. What are the food or culinary codes of Armenian literature? What is the taste and smell of Armenian literature? Literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan discuss these issues in "Parallel Readings".

The neglected and overestimated in Paruyr Sevaks's poetry


There is either a supremacist-religious attitude towards the work of Paruyr Sevak, particularly poetry, or a denial that leads to denial. This kind of perception is brought to a certain harmony only in sober literary analyzes. Literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan debate the issues of the ratio of neglect to overestimation in Sevak's perceptions of poetry in "Parallel Readings".

The Lexicon of Armenian Writers


To what extent and how do writers use the main vocabulary of the language, line by line, book by book, by content, how does the vocabulary change? Can vocabulary richness or limitation become a criterion for evaluating literature?  Literary critics Hayk Hambardzumyan and Arkmenik Nikoghosyan discuss these issues in "Parallel Readings".