I taught a summer reading class a few years ago and there was a short story in my curriculum that I loved but I couldn't remember the title. I finally found the collection it came from! It's called "Pomegranate Trees" in My Name Is Aram by William Saroyan. The collection is tender and funny as the author reflects upon stories from his boyhood. 10/10 would recommend. ?
A local man, a librarian at the University‘s library, had this to say in his obit: “For those wishing to honor Bob, please consider spending time with a book. Take a moment to appreciate the weight and feel of the book in your hands, note the choice of paper, typeface, artwork and age; most of all, enjoy the words within and then consider passing it along for others to enjoy.” 💕💕💕
pickI have spent most of my life in the Central Valley of California, most of the stories in this book take place here. The beauty of these stories are the characters who come to life in them. William Saroyan‘s ability to do that for me is why he will always be one of my favorite authors.
"We do not forget the massacres because in not forgetting we rejoice in our survival against terrible odds." -- William Saroyan, born on this date in 1908, from his play, "Haratch." This is my Saroyan stamp, issued in 1991, a gift to me from the Armenian community of Fresno, CA in 2013. #grateful #armenia #armenianculture #armeniangenocide
My paperback copy from when I was a boy. My mother bought it for me. My middle name? Aram.
pickAnyone else from or live in Fresno California? These stories are full of life from a time that I often wish I could live in. I love his good natured look at life from when he grew up.
panThis may be an unpopular opinion, but I didn't like this book. Connected short stories, set in Fresno, CA, centering on a boy and his eccentric Armenian family, this was originally published in 1940. There's nothing "wrong" with the book, in fact it seems to be his most universally loved title, but it just wasn't for me.
Be the inferior of no man, or of any men be superior. Remember that every man is a variation of yourself. No man's guilt is not yours, nor is any man's innocence a thing apart. Despise evil and ungodliness, but not men of ungodliness or evil...
In the time of your life, live—so that in that wondrous time you shall not add to the misery and sorrow of the world, but shall smile to the infinite delight and mystery of it.
pickThis is a must for anyone who has ever spent time in California's Central Valley. In the rich tradition that includes #WilliamSaroyan & #JohnSteinbeck, Taylor uses incredibly familiar characters in the saga of one family-owned vineyard. While much writing of #California focuses on glamour of Los Angeles or the tech world of Silicon Valley, she beautifully illustrates how the family farming is inexorably linked to California's economy and history.
