Since 2008, Armenia has celebrated Book Giving Day every year on Feb. 19, marking the birthday of the nation’s beloved poet, Hovhannes Tumanyan.
The holiday was first established in Armenia through the initiative of Levon Ananyan, the late President of the Writers’ Union of Armenia. On this day, numerous literary events, public readings, and book discussions are held across the country.
To celebrate Book Giving Day, here are five books authored by our own instructors at AUA.
“A Book, Untitled” by Shushan Avagyan
Originally published in 2006, Dr. Avagyan’s experimental novel constructs a world where the early 20th century Armenian feminist writers, Shushanik Kurghinian and Zabel Esayan meet.
The twenty-six-and-a-half chapters follow not only these often-forgotten literary figures, but also Avagyan and her friend Lara, who attempt to bridge the gap between generations of Armenian feminists. Avagyan experiments freely with language, writing in fragments and inviting readers to actively shape the text. In 2023, “A Book, Untitled” was translated into English by AUA Associate Professor Deanna Cachoian-Schanz.
“Danielyan Prefaces” by Vahram Danielyan
Published in 2025, Armenian Language and Literature professor Vahram Danielyan’s “Danielyan Prefaces” («Դանիելյան առաջաբաններ»), brings together various prefaces written by the author into a single volume.. In “The Preface for the Prefaces,” Danielyan invites readers to approach the book in two ways: either as a collection of critical essays or alongside the specific works for which they were originally written.
In both cases, the book argues that the preface is not a secondary genre; rather, it establishes a meaningful relationship between author and reader, guiding them toward a deeper engagement with the text. The book is available in bookstores throughout Yerevan.
“The Sunny Cook” by Gayane Aghabalyan
Adjunct lecturer Gayane Aghabalyan’s The Sunny Cook is a children’s book about a boy named Hovhannes who has Down syndrome. The story is inspired by Aregak, the first inclusive bakery in Gyumri, which employs people with disabilities. The nine page children’s tale teaches kids the importance of treating everyone with equality, respect and kindness, regardless of how they look. The book is available at Zangak bookstore.
“The Armenian Women’s Movement in the Late Ottoman Empire: Modernity, Nationalism and Gender” by Hasmik Khalapyan
Associate Professor Hasmik Khalapyan’s recent book expands the Armenian Women’s studies by focusing on the Late Ottoman Empire. The book analyses the change of women’ s roles during the last decades of the Ottoman Empire, emphasizing how Armenian women shaped the course of national and social reform. Khalapyan’s research directs specific attention to Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, serving as a rare source that talks about the Armenian minorities in English. Using a broad collection of archival primary documents, Khalapyan examines the change Armenian women went through from the end of the Tanzimat period to the start of World War I.
“A Reading of Text” by Siransuh Dvoyan
Adjunct Lecturer Siranush Dvoyan’s monograph published in 2013 is a thought provoking piece of literature that delves deeper into the nuances we use while reading a text. The author does not make the experience easy for the reader, rather stresses the importance of having these crucial topics in Armenian language, especially for those studying humanities. You might think that reading a text is an easy task, but the book will show you that it is harder than you think. “A Reading of Text” allows its readers to ponder and reflect on their experiences of reading, offering new and fresh perspectives on literary critiques.
