We enter his living room, designated as such probably because it is the only room where furniture and sitting space occupy more area than the books. As soon as we are seated, we hear the disembodied barking of the family dog, Chako. You can’t see Chako, but Chako makes himself known throughout the interview.
Vahan’s book collection started long before he existed. His great-grandfather began collecting books, but when he was exiled in the 30’s for proselytizing, most of his collection went with him. So when his grandfather was arrested years later, his family learned its lesson and hid the collection within the walls. This is what Vahan has been building on for the last 50 years, though his love affair with books started long before that.