On December 14, the Cantacuzino Palace of Bucharest hosted the presentation of the book “The Book of My Unwritten Poems” (Cartea poemelor mele nescrise, Ed. Polirom, Bucaresti 2015) by Armenian writer and political figure Varujan Vosganian, who described his book as an autobiography, to a certain extent.
Among the guests at the event were President of the Senate of Romania Kalin Popesku-Taricanu; former Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodor Meleshkanu; Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Romania Hamlet Gasparyan; Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Romania, Bishop Tatev Hakobyan, as well as political figures and intellectuals. The presentation included poetry and musical performances, as well as speeches by poet Marian Dragic and literary critic Alex Stefanesku, who underscored Vosganian’s humor and intellect. “Vosganian’s main attribute is his great intellect. He is very smart and creative. It seems as though his books contain a phosphor, something brilliant.”
Stefanesku also appreciated the presence of Armenian culture in Vosganian’s works and mentioned that “the forgotten folklore in Armenian traditions is appreciated” in his books. “Armenian traditions are not much appreciated in Romania. That is why I believe that the “Book of Whispers” deserves a Nobel Prize, without any exaggeration since it is introduces something new,” the literary critic added. According to him, Varujan Vosganian vitalizes cultural life in Romania.
The “Book of My Unwritten Poems” is about the generation of sad children born after the war and for whom the events of 1989 are still tragic. The book also underscores the state of the poet in a world where there is no authenticity.
