The Road from Home facts for kids
First US edition
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| Author | David Kherdian |
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| Language | English |
| Subject | Armenian Genocide |
| Genre | Non-fiction |
| Publisher | Greenwillow Books (US) Julia MacRae (UK) |
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Publication date
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1979 |
| Pages | 242 |
| ISBN | 978-0688144258 |
The Road from Home: A True Story of Courage, Survival, and Hope is a non-fiction book. It was written by David Kherdian and first published in 1979. The book tells the real-life story of David Kherdian's mother, Veron Dumehjian (1907-1981).
Veron survived a very difficult time called the Armenian Genocide. During this time, her whole family was lost. She faced many challenges, including being forced to leave her home multiple times. She eventually found a new life in the United States. This book is often read by middle school students across the U.S. and has won several awards.
Contents
Veron's Journey: A Story of Survival
This book shares the early life of Veron Dumehjian. She was born in 1907 in Azizya, a city in Turkey. Veron grew up in a wealthy Armenian family. Her early life was comfortable and safe.
Life Changes: The Armenian Genocide
In 1915, when Veron was eight years old, the Armenian Genocide began. Veron and her family were forced to leave their homes. They were made to move far away.
During this difficult journey, Veron's entire immediate family passed away. This included her father, mother, brothers, and sisters. They died from sickness or exhaustion.
Finding Hope: An Orphan's Path
At age eleven, Veron became an orphan. She managed to survive in the Syrian desert. Distant relatives helped her, but they did not treat her well.
Veron chose to go to an orphanage. She stayed there until she was twelve years old. After that, she returned to her hometown of Azizya. She lived there with her grandmother.
New Dangers: War and Fire
Later, the Greco-Turkish War reached her village. Veron was badly hurt during this time. After she got better, she moved to the seaside town of Smyrna. She went to live with her aunt there.
But danger found her again. She had to flee because of the Great Fire of Smyrna. Many Greek and Armenian people were trapped by the fire near the sea. Veron and her aunt were saved by a boat. They were taken to Greece.
A New Beginning: Life in America
In Greece, Veron met and married an Armenian-American man named Melkon Kherdian. Eventually, she moved to the United States. She settled down in Wisconsin and started a new life.
How the Book Was Written
The Road from Home is based on Veron Dumehjian's own memories. Her son, David Kherdian, asked her to write down her story. Veron wrote eleven pages of her memories in Armenian.
David then recorded his mother as she read her story aloud. When Veron read about her mother's death, she became very sad and cried. It was the first time David had ever seen his mother cry. Even so, Veron finished telling her story. The book was published in 1979. While the book is based on true events, some of the conversations were created by the author to make the story flow better.
