Review of Foxbook: Medieval and Contemporary Fables From Armenia

[Kigen Valarie]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Foxbook: Medieval and Contemporary Fables From Armenia" by Sar Kamler.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Foxbook: Medieval and Contemporary Fables from Armenia, translated and compiled by Sar Kamler, is a book of fables whose sole purpose is to teach. The book begins with the history of Armenia and mentions Aesop's Fables as inspiration for ancient Armenia. It also explained how these teachings found themselves in the fables. Each fable has the author's name mentioned, and the original and modern morals explained. Modern morals are also given in instances where ancient morals may not apply today. The fables in the book are of varying lengths, with some as short as a single sentence.

Once I began reading the book, I realized that their role was to teach besides providing entertainment. These fables have been alternated with beautiful and non-conventional pictures that, although unrelated to the stories, are suitable for interpretation and will take your mind off the book for a while. The author provided breaks in between looking at several teachings and even provided space to write down one's thoughts. The welcoming statements for these breaks are kind, full of wisdom, and ancient.

Considering that this book was translated from Armenian, there are footnotes provided for some foreign words. I learned a lot about the Armenian culture, including their units of measurement, e.g., the dahekan, their currencies, and gods like the goddess Astghik. The original cover page from the inaugural edition was shown at the beginning of the book, titled in Armenian. The fables provided different teachings like courage, bravery, and patience and shunned gossiping, cowardice, arrogance, envy, etc. Like many other fables, the book contains many animals with different teachings, like the hawk, fox, lion, etc., each with a moral based on their behavior.

The book had only a few minor negative aspects. The first one was the extra spacing in the book, which intensified, especially when introducing the self-reflection section. I also realized there were different spellings of the same word, especially when the word appears both in the story and in the footnotes. An example is the word 'theriak' in the story and 'theriac' in the footnotes. Being a foreign word, it's hard to know which has the correct spelling. As I previously mentioned, these aspects are few and minor, and they do not downgrade the quality.

I rate Foxbook: Medieval and Contemporary Fables from Armenia 5 out of 5 stars; every aspect tackled was thrilling. It is crucial and exciting to learn that there is a hidden riddle in the book that one has to solve to uncover the final moral. I'm ashamed to mention that I didn't solve it, or if I did, I'm not sure my answer is correct. I'd love for as many people to read the book as possible to uncover the truth. Furthermore, I only found two errors, each resulting from a little mishap with words. The book was, therefore, professionally edited.

It is possible to have mixed feelings while reading the book. This comes from the condemnation of acts that men are prone to do, and it's a good way of learning. It is not only the modern teachings that are quoted in the book because there is also an exploration of finance, proper living, and other lessons. I recommend this book to all who are prepared to learn, from children to adults. It will also be great for storytellers who intend to impact their audience. This is a chance to get to know Armenia a bit.

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Foxbook: Medieval and Contemporary Fables From Armenia
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[fareedaali9113]

Foxbook is an outstanding collection of fables that is both entertaining and educational. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Armenian folklore or simply looking for a good read.

[Amy Luman]

Is’t it fun to find out how other cultures do things? It might seem weird at first, but is well worth the slight discomfort. I wonder if these teach the same lessons as Western fables. Thanks!

[Rica Concepcion]

An entertaining and educational book is exciting and intriguing. I will surely give this book a try. An amazing and comprehensive review.

[Umesh Bhatt]

Seems to be a good collection of fables giving a lot of information about the culture and traditions of Armenia. Would go through the book may be at a later date.
Thanks for a clear and precise review.

[Vinay Penubothu]

Thank you for your thoughtful review! Your perspective has definitely sparked my curiosity, and I'm eager to delve into the book. Your insights have convinced me that it's a must-read, and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. Your review has inspired me to explore further.