Newmag Presented Narine Abgaryan’s Short Story Collection “To Live” at Zangak Bookstore (Photos)

“To Live” is a collection of 31 interconnected stories that center on the residents of Berd, a town in Armenia’s Tavush region, during the First Artsakh War. Each story follows a person or family, with characters subtly crossing into one another’s lives—whoever appears at the end of one story becomes the protagonist of the next.

Many of the characters are based on real people. The author says the stories reflect how the people of Berd endured war, loss, and hardship, and yet, found the strength to go on.

Interestingly, many international readers have assumed the book is about the more recent Artsakh war and that Berd is located in Artsakh. Abgaryan doesn’t clarify the location in the text and says she doesn’t correct those assumptions. The universality of the stories is what matters most.

Speaking at the presentation, Abgaryan said her goal is to highlight the Armenian will to survive and create, even through the darkest times.

"After the massacres of 1915 and all the wars, we kept saying ‘they killed us’, but somehow, the balance had to be restored, and we kept living. We lived under constant shelling, and it became part of everyday life.

But the real joy of being a writer,” she added, “is not just writing a book, but hearing your readers explain to you what you’ve written—what they saw and felt in your stories. That is the happiness of a writer.”

The book was translated into Armenian by Narine Gizhlaryan, whom Abgaryan thanked for the “brilliant and heartfelt” translation. Although she writes in Russian and is often referred to as a Russian writer, Abgaryan shared a personal truth:

“I feel like an Armenian writer. Readers and critics often say that my Russian isn’t really Russian, it carries an Armenian rhythm and tone, as if they’re reading a Russian story in Armenian.”

Hovhannes Vardanyan, Public Relations Officer of ARGO Realty, the book’s general partner, explained why the leading real estate company supported this publication:

“We believe it’s important to take part in meaningful cultural initiatives as part of our corporate social responsibility. Supporting good literature is part of that mission.

We partnered on this book because Narine Abgaryan truly resonates with Armenian readers. Each new book of hers is not just a release, it’s an event. With her gentle, emotional, and humorous style, she speaks directly to the heart.”

“To Live” is also a milestone for Newmag Publishing, it is the 200th title in their catalog.