Me as Her Again: True Stories of an Armenian Daughter

by Nancy Agabian

Literary Nonfiction. Biography. Middle Eastern Studies. In this memoir, Nancy Agabian tells stories of growing pains, family tensions, and buried pasts. In a narrative that braids together different times and places and shifts between comic and dramatic registers, Agabian tells us how, as a child, she learns to juggle roles in response to competing pressures to fit in as an American while maintaining her Armenian heritage. At home, she struggles with her grandmother's old ideologies, arguments between her parents, and heated discussions about race and sexuality. In her twenties, Agabian moves to Hollywood and becomes a performance artist and begins to discover herself sexually, dating both men and women. After hiding her autobiographical shows from her relatives, she finally decides to confront her family history and takes a trip to Armenia with her artist aunt, during which she finds she must reckon with painful family histories involving displacement and genocide.

Genres: Memoir

262 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2008

Reviews

[Janice Kullman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique and Heartfelt

This book is beautifully written and insightful on an historic level as well as a personal level. The author weaves these two perspectives together beautifully so that you feel you understand her as well as her family’s part of the world. This is a great read and I hope to see more from this author soon!

[Molly Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoughtfully written, thought provoking read. As the author wove the story of her life and family into the story of Armenia (or maybe vice versa), I could not help but contemplate how history shapes generations, how mothers, daughters and families affect each other, how friends and lovers influence who we are and who we become. This book will stay with me for a while.

[Zach Strassburger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid read. Not my favorite book but thoughtful and well written. It kept my attention even though very little actually happens in the book.

[Steve Cran]

A wonder ful memoir that tells of a young Armenian girl growing up in a white working class city called Walpole in Masachussettes. Growing up this city Nancy had a rough time fitting in. She was always abit darker andd her friends never really stayed with her that long. In fact she was a loner. At one time her only friend was another girl who was Turkish. One time when she built a fort in the wood her so called "Best Friends" tore it down.

Nancy also never quite fit into the Armnian community either. while in public school she scored in the 99th percentile. In Armenian school she never even learned to speak Armenain. Her's was a tale of alientation in both worlds. Her homelife was just as chaotic

THe house also had lot of fighting and tension. Her brotyher Leo would hit her when they got into fights and leave bruises on her rbody. The mother would trip cause she thought it woulld lead to cancer. Nancy also felt that her mom controlled her too much . Her brother and her alos used to make fun of differetn actors becasue they were too faggy. It is quite Ironic because later on her and her sibling would end up as being bi-sexual and Gay.

Later on when she moved to California nand began doing poetry reading at "Beyond Baroque" ashe would come to terms woith how she was raised, her Armenian culture and her bi-sexuality. After her grandmother passes away she goes to Turkey with her aunt Agnes to visit the old Aremnian villages that were left behind. It is an eye opener for her for many reason. One is that some of the family that was left behind are now Turkified. THe people ther are friendly and have customs sim iliar to her Aremnian family. Later on when she returns home she listens to tapes of Grandmother who speaks about the Gencide ansd her experiences. She also explores Armenian history giving her own unigue persective

[Barbikat60 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nancy Agabian is a gifted writer. I'm going to find out if I can take her writing class at Queens College. I loved reading about how she came to terms with her heritage or is at least trying to come to terms with it. I appreciated her juxtaposing the history and political information of Armenia with the story of her life. I might have to come back and reread this book.

[Sam]

haven't started yet, but heard the author read a few sections at a reading at modern times bookstore in sf last week - very excellent & promising start, and am looking forward to reading...