Vakhtang Ananian’s name is not the first that comes to mind when talking about Armenian literature in the twentieth century. But he was and is still a very popular writer, especially in Armenia, as the founder of the genre of adventurous literature. His novels instilled love for nature, especially among children and teenagers.
Ananian was born on August 8, 1905, in the village of Poghoskilisa (later Shamakhian), which now has been incorporated into the area of the town of Dilijan. He spent his childhood at the village, where he got his elementary education. At the age of ten he entered the parish school of Dilijan, but he could not afford the tuition and, after two years, he had to leave. He remembered years later: “My period of studies ended. After that, I did not see a real school ever again. My school was mother nature, in whose lap I grew up.”
He would fill the lack of formal education with self-education. At the age of twenty-one, in 1926, Ananian moved to Yerevan. In 1927 he published his first story and in 1930, his first short novel. He worked at the editorial offices of the periodicals Machkal and Sotsialistakan giughtuntesootyoon, and edited the newspaper Kolkhoznik from 1930-1935. He became a member of the Writers Union of Armenia in 1934. From 1941-1945 he fought in World War II.
His stories about Armenian nature, especially hunting, had already attracted the attention of readers. In 1934 he had published a collection of short stories, Prey, followed by Hunting Stories , a series in six volumes (1947-1966). However, he became famous with a novella of adventures, On the Shore of Lake Sevan (1951), which would be translated into more than ten languages. Another of his best works in the genre of young adults was the novella The Prisoners of Hovazadzor (1956). Both On the Shore of Lake Sevan and The Prisoners of Hovazadzor won the “Best Book” award in the all-Soviet contest for the best children’s book, and became the source for the films The Secret of the Mountainous Lake (1954) and The Prisoners of Hovazadzor (1957). Ananian also wrote The Fauna of Armenia, published in four volumes between 1961 and 1966. He combined here his deep knowledge of the subject and his talent as a writer to offer a work of great interest even for scientists.
In the last years of his life, the writer earned several high marks of recognition. In 1968 he was recognized as Emeritus Worker of Culture of Soviet Armenia, and two years later he won the State Prize for the ensemble of his works for children and teenagers. In 1974 he won the annual prize of the Communist Youth of Armenia. He would also be decorated with several medals.
Ananian passed away on March 4, 1980. A middle school in Yerevan bears his name and a stamp honored him in 2006, on the centennial of his birth.
