The Saints of Zara: An Intimate Memoir

Isabel-Rose Kulski

it was amazing 5.00 · Rating details · 2 ratings · 2 reviews

Nishan was nineteen years old when Turkey saw an upheaval in the Ottoman government. Violence and lawlessness ravaged the whole country. When the Mormon missionaries arrived, it seemed logical to seek a new opportunity in the United States. Nishan and a small group of Armenian converts left their violence-torn home in Zara, Turkey, in September of 1902.

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Paperback, 142 pages

Published October 25th 2018 by Archway Publishing

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Nov 19, 2018 Rene rated it it was amazing

Shelves: book-club-recommendations

This book is about an Armenian family who immigrates to Utah at the turn of the century and shares their struggles (political, personal, social) with the upheaval in their homeland and the challenges of moving to a new country. I appreciated the author's candor and honesty in sharing details of heartache and regret within her family's story. Her return to Zara in 1962 was interesting to read about--and sad. There are several fascinating photos in the book: 1) the Saints of Zara. Members of the M This book is about an Armenian family who immigrates to Utah at the turn of the century and shares their struggles (political, personal, social) with the upheaval in their homeland and the challenges of moving to a new country. I appreciated the author's candor and honesty in sharing details of heartache and regret within her family's story. Her return to Zara in 1962 was interesting to read about--and sad. There are several fascinating photos in the book: 1) the Saints of Zara. Members of the Mormon Church 1901. That must be a very rare photo! and 2) Photos of Zara in 1962 and one from chapter 2 (undated) that looked similar and primitive. The author's writing makes for enjoyable reading and kept me pretty much glued to the book while I read it. While the family's conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the main reason for their immigration to Utah, along with the faith of various members of the family and how it gave them strength through their struggles, it is not so much a religious book as a book about family and origin.

I think it would make a good bookclub book where the group could delve into topics such as leaving home for another country, political upheavals, divorce in the early 1900's (especially in Utah), relationships between various immigrant groups in Utah, the history of Murray, Utah, the effects of mining on the health of Utah workers, caring for aging parents, trees (very interesting discussion about Virginia trees (beauty, shade) vs. Utah trees (pruned, irrigated, cared-for for their fruit), as well as some of the history of destruction and suffering in Armenian Turkey.

Full disclosure: I have known the author for 3-4 years. She was born in 1919 and will turn 100 next year. I have observed her determination during the past three years to share this story and am so happy that she was able to accomplish her goal. She must be the most tech-savy person her age in the world. The book is available on kindle, paperback, and hardback. I really enjoyed reading it! ...more

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Jun 30, 2019 Paul Sullivan rated it it was amazing

This is a well-written and heart-felt book describing some important historical and personal events. It is a page-turner. I recommend this for anyone who is interested in the real human history of the Armenians, and the story of Armenia immigration to the US. It is also full of stories that can teach many things about life and about history.

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