To Go On Living
Stories
by Narine Abgaryan
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Pub Date Apr 22 2025 | Archive Date Apr 22 2025
Plough Publishing | Plough Publishing House
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Description
Set in an Armenian mountain village immediately after the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the early 1990s, these thirty-one linked short stories trace the interconnected lives of villagers tending to their everyday tasks, engaging in quotidian squabbles, and celebrating small joys against a breathtaking landscape. Yet the setting, suspended in time and space, belies unspeakable tragedy: every character contends with an unbearable burden of loss. The war rages largely off the book’s pages, appearing only in fragmented flashbacks.
Abgaryan’s stories focus on how, in the war’s aftermath, the survivors work, as individuals and as a community, to find a way forward. Written in Abgaryan’s signature style that weaves elements of Armenian folk tradition into her prose, these stories of community, courage, and resilience celebrate human life, where humor and love and hope prevail in unthinkable circumstances.
A Note From the Publisher
A distinctive voice from a forgotten corner of the world, Abgaryan's stories celebrate the resilience of a historically persecuted people.
Advance Praise
“One of Europe’s most exciting authors” —The Guardian
"As an admirer, I will say that Narine Abgaryan is one of a kind. This book is about Armenia, a country that has seen much suffering. Yet despite this, To Go On Living contains neither desperation nor bitterness, but only grief, love, and hope." —Eugene Vodolazkin, author of Laurus
Like a string of sharp shards of gems; an exquisite read. —Moni Kozi
Narine Abgaryan’s stories describe universal pain of war that transcends boundaries and ethnicities. As an Azerbaijani, I appreciated these narratives of Armenians who lived through war between Azerbaijan and Armenia and carry its scars. The author shows how wounds of war linger from generation to generation. The everyday realities of traumatized people who have to live with memories of war and loss come alive in these pages and remind us that suffering, like love and mercy, is above politics and can be a uniting force between former enemies. —Agshin Jafarov, Azerbaijani novelist
Acclaim for Narine Abgaryan’s Three Apples Fell from the Sky:
“Read this book. It’s balm for the soul.” ―Ludmila Ulitskaya, author of The Big Green Tent
“Suffused with kindness, humor, subtlety, and understated finesse.” ―Eugene Vodolazkin, author of Laurus
“A charming novel... [It] teems with minor characters whose quirks are at times amusing and at times heartbreaking... A warm-hearted story about family, friendship, and community.” ―Foreword Reviews
“A poignant, bittersweet, fable-like story. ... The strongest message that shines through this finely translated novel is that resignation need not lead to cynicism.” ―Asian Review of Books
“With finely phrased descriptions of daily activities and homes with ‘chimneys that clung to the hem of the sky,’ and indelible details of complex, humble characters, this magical tale transcends familiar mystical tropes with its fresh reimagining of Armenian folklore.” ―Publishers Weekly
“Charming… A celebration of community with a supernatural dimension that gives it the air of a fable, it's a compassionate, heartwarming novel.” ―The Herald (Glagow)
Marketing Plan
- Author events linked to Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day (April 24)
- National publicity campaign
- Feature in Plough Quarterly, circulation 16,000
- Featured on Plough’s website, 500,000 monthly visitors
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781636081526 |
| PRICE | $24.95 (USD) |
| PAGES | 220 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Angela S, Reviewer
A heart-breaking and haunting collection of 31 interwoven stories set in an Armenian village.
Regardless of how much history you know going in, this book is guaranteed to ruin you and stay with you forever. Full of soul and crafted with care and love. What a brilliant writer!
Thank you so much Plough Publishing for my ARC!
Bill H, Reviewer
The relentless sorrow of people living in the hills of Armenia during war cannot overcome their dignity and connectedness; their perseverance gives me hope for humanity. These stories, full of painful beauty, are difficult to get through, but well with the effort. In spite of never having lived in a war zone, I feel a commonality with these far-away people that makes me wonder how anyone can really go to war.
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