Nick Sherinian

Dear Adam Bagdasarian,

I know your book Forgotten Fire is not true, but when I was reading it, I told myself it was. This book changed the way I think of my family because I am of Armenian descent. It affected the way I look at my dad, my grandfather, and everyone on my dad's side of the family. To hear what happened to some of the people in this book, and about the cruelty that they had to go through makes me sick, but Forgotten Fire itself is a creative historical fiction book.

The Holocaust was a terrible thing, but it made many people realize what true evil really is. Both of my great-great grandmothers were alive when the Holocaust happened. When the guards in Armenia told the men to march along long roads, my great-great grandmother and her two sons went into hiding. They stayed in the attic at a Greek friend's house. Every single day my great-great grandmother prayed and prayed. Finally she realized that she was putting too many people in danger, so she decided to turn herself in. That day was the same day the Holocaust ended. After that, she knew she they had move somewhere. She decided to come to America. She bought tickets at once, and they were set to go.

They just so happened to be traveling with my other great-great grandmother who had three daughters. Somewhere along the line she found out that one of her children, my great grandmother had contracted pink eye. At that time they wouldn't let people into America who had any disease. On the long voyage to America, she made pretty dresses with all sorts of colors that fit each of the children. She taught the children how to sing, so when it was time for an inspection, they all started to sing, "Jesus loves me, this I know." The guards were so pleased by the singing and the girls in beautiful dresses that they let them into America right away. They had an arranged marriage between the youngest girl and youngest boy, my great grandparents.

If it weren't for the bravery and determination of my great-great grandparents, I wouldn't be here today. Your book explained to me what many these people had to go through to survive.  To think that my ancestors were some of these people is astonishing. Your book gave me a new perspective. Thank you.

Sincerely and full heartedly,
Nick Sherinian