“The Chronicles of Karabakh. 1989-2009” is an illustrated coffee-table book, personally compiled by the well-known author, screen-writer and film director, Boris Baratov. It is published by “Linguist” Publishers. The book is divided into five sections: “The Road of Life”, “The Angel”, “Death in Karabakh”, “Paradise Ruined” and “Twenty Years On” and consists of 512 pages, illustrated with more than 1,000 original photographs, which the author himself took in Karabakh, Armenia, Cilicia and in museums throughout the world. Only in the chapter on the war in Karabakh are Boris Baratov’s photographs supplemented by shots taken by the “Azat Artsakh” photo journalist Ruslan Sarkisian and some of his colleagues, whom the author describes in the section “The profession of a reporter”. The iconographic and archive research was undertaken by Anna Petrosova. It is worth noting that this book was printed in Italy and the print quality is extremely high.
Boris Baratov has spent more than twenty years working on his “Chronicles of Karabakh”. This book is made up of diverting travel notes, which skilfully interweave history and contemporary affairs. The historical touches on the general canvas of the storyline have been placed carefully, even delicately, which is a sure sign of artistic talent. This book will not only introduce the reader to monuments of history and culture, but also to living people, many of whom are well-known in Karabakh. The fates of the majority of the characters featured in this book are followed over the course of the last twenty dramatic years, from 1989 to 2009.
Although the book is called “The Chronicles of Karabakh”, it does not limit itself solely to the history of Artsakh-Karabakh, but also gives a comprehensive overview of the history of the whole Armenian people. It forms a unique mosaic, recounting the fates of the various branches of our people, which have been scattered throughout the world by the whims of