Our Hye Life

As the only living member of the second generation of her immigrant Armenian (Hye) family to come to America, Mara Sarkisian Fanok did not want the memories of their courage to be forgotten. Our Hye Life begins with the massacre of Armenians under the rule of Sultan Hamid, the Ottoman Emperor, leaving the author's father and his sister orphans. It was a tragic time, and their survival was a testament to their courage and faith. By the time Mara was born, her family had been in America for over twenty years, and much of her knowledge of the Hye life is based on anecdotal stories. One such story is of her great-aunt, whose strength was first evident during desperate times, as she kept the family intact despite the threat of the Turks. At the age of 65, she was the last family member to arrive in America. She could neither read nor write, but her fearlessness was evident when she took the subway, alone, from Brooklyn to Washington Heights to visit her younger brother. Mara's family left behind sadness and despair, and came to the U.S. with dreams of promise. Her novel is a tribute to their gifts of tradition, courage, family loyalty, and an enduring belief in God.