Quebec literature
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

This is an article about literature in
Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
.


16th and 17th centuries

During this period, the society of
New France New France (french: Nouvelle-France) was the area colonized by France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Great Britain and Spai ...
was being built with great difficulty. The French merchants contracted to transport colonists did not respect their end of the bargain, and the French and their Indian allies were at war with the
Iroquois The Iroquois ( or ), officially the Haudenosaunee ( meaning "people of the longhouse"), are an Iroquoian-speaking confederacy of First Nations peoples in northeast North America/ Turtle Island. They were known during the colonial years to ...
, allied to the English until 1701, etc. To add to these difficulties, the printing press was officially forbidden in Canada until the British Conquest. In spite of this, some notable documents were produced in the early days of colonization and were passed down from generation to generation until today. The ''Voyage'' of
Jacques Cartier Jacques Cartier ( , also , , ; br, Jakez Karter; 31 December 14911 September 1557) was a French-Breton maritime explorer for France. Jacques Cartier was the first European to describe and map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the shores of th ...
, the ''Muses de la Nouvelle-France'' of
Marc Lescarbot Marc Lescarbot (c. 1570–1641) was a French author, poet and lawyer. He is best known for his '' Histoire de la Nouvelle-France'' (1609), based on his expedition to Acadia (1606–1607) and research into French exploration in North America. ...
, the ''Voyages'' of
Samuel de Champlain Samuel de Champlain (; Fichier OrigineFor a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December 1635) was a Fre ...
are memories of the exploration of North America and the foundation of New France. The ''Relations des jésuites'', ''Le Grand voyage au pays des Hurons'' of
Gabriel Sagard Gabriel Sagard, O.M.R., ( ''fl.'' 1614–1636) was a French lay brother and Recollect friar, a reform branch of the Order of Friars Minor known for their strict poverty. He was among the first Christian missionaries to New France, and is not ...
, the ''Écrits'' of Marguerite Bourgeois were written by the many religious founders of New France who had undertaken the task of converting the ''Sauvages'' to Christianity. Many songs and poems were transmitted orally by the early French settlers. A popular French ballad, ''À la claire fontaine'' was adapted by the
voyageurs The voyageurs (; ) were 18th and 19th century French Canadians who engaged in the transporting of furs via canoe during the peak of the North American fur trade. The emblematic meaning of the term applies to places (New France, including the ' ...
and gave us the version that is known today in Quebec. The first patriotic song of Quebec (then known as ''le Canada'') was written by a soldier, François Mariauchau d'Esgly. Entitled ''C'est le Général de Flip'', it paid tribute to the resistance of the French at Quebec during the siege of General
William Phips Sir William Phips (or Phipps; February 2, 1651 – February 18, 1695) was born in Maine in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and was of humble origin, uneducated, and fatherless from a young age but rapidly advanced from shepherd boy, to shipwright, s ...
in 1690. In France, Canada and New France in general caught the interest of many writers, notably
François Rabelais François Rabelais ( , , ; born between 1483 and 1494; died 1553) was a French Renaissance writer, physician, Renaissance humanist, monk and Greek scholar. He is primarily known as a writer of satire, of the grotesque, and of bawdy jokes and ...
who refers to
Cartier Cartier may refer to: People * Cartier (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) * Cartier Martin (born 1984), American basketball player Places * Cartier Island, an island north-west of Australia that is part of Australia' ...
and Roberval in
Pantagruel ''The Life of Gargantua and of Pantagruel'' (french: La vie de Gargantua et de Pantagruel) is a pentalogy of novels written in the 16th century by François Rabelais, telling the adventures of two giants, Gargantua ( , ) and his son Pantagruel ...
.


18th century

Until 1760, the themes of nature, explorations, and the ''Sauvages'' continued to mark the imagination of the civilization of New France. The ''Moeurs des sauvages américains'' of Joseph-François Lafitau, ''Histoire de l'Amérique septentrionale'' of
Bacqueville de la Potherie Bacqueville de la Potherie, also known as Claude-Charles Le Roy, was a French chronicler of New France. His most famous work is ''Histoire de I'Amérique septentrionale'', an account of French expeditions to the Great Lakes and Mississippi ...
and the ''Histoire et description générale de la Nouvelle-France'' are in continuity with the writings of the preceding century. The first verified use of the term ''Canadien'' to designate the descendants of French settlers in Canada was written in a song composed in 1756 in honour of Governor Vaudreuil after the military victory of Fort Chouaguen. In 1758,
Étienne Marchand The Solide expedition was the second successful circumnavigation by the French, after that by Bougainville. It occurred from 1790 to 1792 but remains little known due to its mainly commercial aims, in the fur trade between the northwest American ...
wrote a famous poem in ''Le carillon de la Nouvelle-France''. This song tells the story of the victorious battle of
Fort Carillon Fort Carillon, presently known as Fort Ticonderoga, was constructed by Pierre de Rigaud de Vaudreuil, Governor of Canada (New France), French Canada, to protect Lake Champlain from a British invasion. Situated on the lake some south of Fort S ...
. The first poem written by a ''Canadien'' after the cession of Canada to Great Britain is ''Quand Georges trois pris l'Canada'' written by an anonymous author in 1763. The ''
Quebec Gazette The ''Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph'', founded by William Brown (c. 1737–1789) as the ''Quebec Gazette'' on 21 June 1764, is the oldest newspaper in North America. It is currently published as an English language weekly from its offices in Queb ...
'' newspaper was founded in Quebec City by William Brown on June 21, 1764. The
bilingual Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the world's population. More than half of all E ...
paper was published in both the French language and the English language and over the years survived to be the oldest newspaper still publishing in North America. The literary trends of Europe and the rest of America slowly penetrated the cities, primarily Quebec City and Montreal. The writings of the Enlightenment and those produced at the time of the American and French revolutions were dominant in the available literature.
Valentin Jautard Valentin Jautard ( – 8 June 1787) was a French-born Canadian lawyer and journalist. Born in Bordeaux, He is best known for his welcome of invading American troops in 1775 during the American Revolution, saying "our chains are broken, bliss ...
and
Fleury Mesplet Fleury Mesplet (January 10, 1734 – January 24, 1794) was a French-born Canadian printer best known for founding the ''Montreal Gazette'', Quebec's oldest daily newspaper, in 1778.Galarneau, Claude.Mesplet, Fleury, in ''Dictionary of Canadia ...
published the first journal of
Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
, the ''Gazette du commerce et littéraire'', in 1778–79. Valentin Jautard, a disciple of Voltaire and sympathizer with the American cause, published many poems under different pseudonyms. Some notable names of the time are
Joseph-Octave Plessis Joseph-Octave Plessis (March 3, 1763 – December 4, 1825) was a Canadian Roman Catholic clergyman from Quebec. He was the first archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Quebec after the diocese was elevated to the status of an archdiocese. ...
, Ross Cuthbert,
Joseph Quesnel Joseph Quesnel (15 November 1746 – 2 or 3 July 1809) was a French Canadian composer, poet, playwright and slave-trader. Among his works were two operas, ''Colas et Colinette'' and ''Lucas et Cécile''; the former is considered to be the first ...
and
Pierre de Sales Laterrière Pierre de Sales Laterrière (1743 or 1747 – 14 June 1815), was an adventurer who left France in 1766. He was inspector and director of the ironworking Forges du Saint-Maurice and seigneur of the municipality Les Éboulements in New France (C ...
. In France,
Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778) was a French Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his ''Pen name, nom de plume'' M. de Voltaire (; also ; ), he was famous for his wit, and his ...
wrote ''
L'Ingénu ''L'Ingénu'' ( , , ), sometimes subtitled ''The Sincere Huron'' in English, is a satirical novella by the French philosopher Voltaire, published in 1767. Overview The work tells the story of a Wyandot people, Huron "child of nature" who, after ...
'', the tale of a
Huron Huron may refer to: People * Wyandot people (or Wendat), indigenous to North America * Wyandot language, spoken by them * Huron-Wendat Nation, a Huron-Wendat First Nation with a community in Wendake, Quebec * Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi ...
who visits France and also Chateaubriand, a French noble exiled in America, wrote Atala and
René René ('' born again'' or ''reborn'' in French) is a common first name in French-speaking, Spanish-speaking, and German-speaking countries. It derives from the Latin name Renatus. René is the masculine form of the name ( Renée being the femin ...
.


19th century

The 19th century marks the beginning of the first real literary works published by Quebecers, including
Michel Bibaud Michel Bibaud (19 January 1782 – 3 August 1857) was a Canadian writer and educator in Montreal, Quebec. In 1813 Bibaud began working as a journalist for ''Le Spectateur'' in Montreal. Later he became the founder and editor of ''La Biblioth ...
, Pierre Boucher de Boucherville, François Réal Angers,
Phillipe-Ignace François Aubert de Gaspé Philippe-Ignace-Francois Aubert de Gaspé, or simply Philippe Aubert de Gaspé (1814–7 March 1841) was a Canadian writer and is credited with writing the first French Canadian novel. Career Philippe-Ignace-Francois was tutored by his father ...
,
Amédée Papineau Louis-Joseph-Amédée Papineau, or Amédée Papineau (1819–1903) was a writer and Québecois patriot and present at the meeting at which the was founded. He was the eldest son of Louis-Joseph Papineau, a leader in the Rebellions of 1837, Rebe ...
, Joseph Doutre,
François-Xavier Garneau François-Xavier Garneau (June 15, 1809 – February 2 or February 3, 1866) was a nineteenth-century French Canadian notary, poet, civil servant and liberal who wrote a three-volume history of the French Canadian nation entitled ''Histoire du Cana ...
, Pierre Jean Olivier Chauveau, Louis-Antoine Dessaulles, H.-Émile Chevalier. By the 1860s, Quebec authors were able to acquire a certain autonomy, as it became easier to publish a book and mass-produce it.
Antoine Gérin-Lajoie Antoine Gérin-Lajoie (; August 4, 1824 – August 7, 1882) was a Québécois Canadian attorney, poet and novelist. He was the author of the famous poem "Un Canadien errant" ('A Wandering Canadian'), as well as the novels roman du terroir ''Jea ...
, Philippe-Joseph Aubert de Gaspé,
Louis Fréchette Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis (d ...
, Arthur Buies, William Kirby,
Honoré Beaugrand Honoré Beaugrand (24 March 1848 – 7 October 1906) was a French Canadian journalist, politician, author and folklorist, born in Berthier County, Quebec. As a young graduate from military school Beaugrand joined the French military forces und ...
,
Laure Conan Marie-Louise-Félicité Angers (9 January 1845 – 6 June 1924), better known by her pen name Laure Conan, was a French Canadian writer and journalist. She is regarded as one of the first French-Canadian female novelists and the writer of th ...
,
Edith Maude Eaton Sui Sin Far (, born Edith Maude Eaton; 15 March 1865 – 7 April 1914) was an author known for her writing about Chinese people in North America and the Chinese American experience. "Sui Sin Far", the pen name under which most of her work was pu ...
, William Chapman, Jules-Paul Tardivel, Winnifred Eaton, Pamphile Lemay were some of the key writers in this era. An anonymous song, ''Les Raftsmen'', became popular at the beginning of this century.


1900-1950

Émile Nelligan Émile Nelligan (December 24, 1879 – November 18, 1941) was a Canadian Symbolist poet from Montreal who wrote in French. Even though he stopped writing poetry after being institutionalized at the age of 19, Nelligan remains an iconic figur ...
, a follower of
Symbolism Symbolism or symbolist may refer to: Arts * Symbolism (arts), a 19th-century movement rejecting Realism ** Symbolist movement in Romania, symbolist literature and visual arts in Romania during the late 19th and early 20th centuries ** Russian sy ...
, published his first poems in Montreal at the age of 16 but within five years he was diagnosed with
Dementia praecox Dementia praecox (meaning a "premature dementia" or "precocious madness") is a disused psychiatric diagnosis that originally designated a chronic, deteriorating psychotic disorder characterized by rapid cognitive disintegration, usually beginnin ...
and confined to a
lunatic asylum The lunatic asylum (or insane asylum) was an early precursor of the modern psychiatric hospital. The fall of the lunatic asylum and its eventual replacement by modern psychiatric hospitals explains the rise of organized, institutional psychiatry ...
, after which he did not write any more works. His collected poems were published to great acclaim in 1903, though he may not have been aware of it, remaining institutionalized until his death in 1941. Among his most celebrated poems is ''Le Vaisseau d'Or''. A biographical film about his life, entitled '' Nelligan'', was released in 1991.
Louis Hémon Louis Hémon (12 October 1880 – 8 July 1913), was a French writer best known for his novel ''Maria Chapdelaine''. Biography He was born in Brest, France. In Paris, where he resided with his family, he was enrolled in the Montaigne and Louis ...
, a native of France who moved to Canada in 1911, wrote the famous rural Quebec romance novel ''
Maria Chapdelaine ''Maria Chapdelaine'' is a romance novel written in 1913 by the Breton writer Louis Hémon, who was then residing in Quebec.Guy Laflèche. Polémiques'. Editions du Singulier; 1992. . p. 126 – 128. Aimed at young French and Quebecois people, ...
'' (1913) while working at a farm in the
Lac Saint-Jean Lac Saint-Jean (Canadian French: ) is a large, relatively shallow lake in south-central Quebec, Canada, in the Laurentian Highlands. It is situated north of the Saint Lawrence River, into which it drains via the Saguenay River. It covers an are ...
region. The title character would go on to become a key figure in Quebec's national identity. Hémon did not live to see the book's widespread publication, as he died after being hit by a train in Chapleau,
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
. The novel has been widely published in many languages and film adaptations were made in
1934 Events January–February * January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established. * January 15 – The 8.0 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake, Nepal–Bihar earthquake strik ...
,
1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 cr ...
,
1983 The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to Internet protocol suite, TCP/IP is officially completed (this is consid ...
and
2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
.
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
priest, historian, and
Quebec nationalist Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirteen p ...
Lionel Groulx Lionel Groulx (; 13 January 1878 – 23 May 1967) was a Canadian Roman Catholic priest, historian, and Quebec nationalism, Quebec nationalist. Biography Early life and ordination Lionel Groulx, né Joseph Adolphe Lyonel Groulx, the son of ...
wrote many works including the 1922 novel '' L'Appel de la race'' and the 1951 historical study ''Histoire du Canada français.'' His conservative ideology of
clerico-nationalism Clerico-Nationalism was a right-wing ideology current in Quebec from the years after World War I until the end of the 1950s, (from the premiership of Maurice Duplessis until the Quiet Revolution). Clerico-nationalism was a traditionalist, religi ...
would have a major influence on Quebec society into the 1950s.
Claude-Henri Grignon Claude-Henri Grignon, OC, FRSC (July 8, 1894 – April 3, 1976)Claude-Henri Grig ...
wrote the early
modernist Modernism is both a philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new forms of art, philosophy, an ...
novel ''Un Homme et son péché'' (1933), which satirized life in rural Quebec, breaking with Quebec's literary conventions of the time. The book has been adapted for the screen on several occasions, most notably the 2002 film Séraphin: Heart of Stone. Priest and folklorist
Félix-Antoine Savard Félix-Antoine Savard, (August 31, 1896 – August 24, 1982) was a Canadian priest, academic, poet, novelist and folklorist. Born in Quebec City, he grew up in Chicoutimi, Quebec. He received a Bachelor of Arts in 1918 and was ordained a prie ...
won acclaim and a medal from the
Académie Française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...
for the 1937 novel ''Menaud, maître draveur'', set in the mountains of rural
Charlevoix Charlevoix ( , ) is a cultural and natural region in Quebec, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River as well as in the Laurentian Mountains area of the Canadian Shield. This dramatic landscape includes rolling terrain, fjords, headlands ...
. Under the pseudonym of 'Ringuet', physician and academic Philippe Panneton published '' Trente arpents'' (1938), the famous novel about the transition from agrarian to urban life in Quebec. The book won the 1940 Governor General's Award for fiction, among other prizes. Panneton would later become ambassador to Portugal.
Germaine Guèvremont Germaine Guèvremont, born GrignonFrench Canadian Write ...
wrote popular novels in the traditional ''
roman du terroir The ''roman du terroir'' (rural novel) was strongly present in French Quebec literature from 1846 to 1945. It had as its goal the celebration of rural life during a period of rapid industrialization. The clergy and the state encouraged this type of ...
'' style, such as 1945's ''Le Survenant'' and its 1947 sequel ''Marie-Didace.''
Roger Lemelin Roger Lemelin, (April 7, 1919 – March 16, 1992) was a Quebec novelist, television writer and essayist. Biography Lemelin was born in Quebec City. From 1944 to 1952, he was a Canadian correspondent for the American magazines ''Time'' and ...
's classic novel of Quebec domestic life, ''Les Plouffe'', was published in 1948. In the first half of the 20th century, some writers provoked the ire of the powerful
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
church in the province. The publication of Jean-Charles Harvey's 1934 novel ''Les Demi-civilisés'' was considered scandalous. He was fired from his job as a journalist and the book was banned by authorities. Abstract artist
Paul-Émile Borduas Paul-Émile Borduas (November 1, 1905 – February 22, 1960) was a Québecois artist known for his abstract paintings. He was the leader of the avant-garde Automatiste movement and the chief author of the Refus Global manifesto of 1948. Bord ...
, a founding figure of the Automatiste movement, wrote the manifesto ''
Refus Global Le Refus global ( en, Total Refusal, link=yes) was an anti-establishment and anti-religious manifesto released on August 9, 1948, in Montreal by a group of sixteen young Québécois artists and intellectuals that included Paul-Émile Borduas, Jea ...
'' (1948), advocating the separation of church and state in Quebec, for which he was ostracized by the establishment of the time and dismissed from his teaching position.
Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...
-born writer
Gabrielle Roy Gabrielle Roy (March 22, 1909July 13, 1983) was a Canadian author from St. Boniface, Manitoba and one of the major figures in French Canadian literature. Early life Roy was born in 1909 in Saint-Boniface (now part of Winnipeg), Manitoba, an ...
's
debut novel A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to p ...
''Bonheur d'occasion'' (1945), considered a classic of Canadian literature, described the conditions of life in Montreal's working-class
Saint-Henri Saint-Henri is a neighbourhood in southwestern Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in the borough of Le Sud-Ouest. Saint-Henri is usually considered to be bounded to the east by Atwater Avenue, to the west by the town of Montreal West, to the north by Au ...
neighbourhood. After being published in English as ''
The Tin Flute ''The Tin Flute'' (original French title ''Bonheur d'occasion'', literally "secondhand happiness") is the first novel by Canadian author Gabrielle Roy and a classic of Canadian fiction. Imbued with Roy's brand of compassion and understanding, th ...
'' (1947), the book would win the 1947 Governor General's Award for fiction and sell more than three-quarters of a million copies in the United States. She won further acclaim for the dark, emotional novel ''Alexandre Chenevert'' (1954) and won a third
Governor General's Award The Governor General's Awards are a collection of annual awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, recognizing distinction in numerous academic, artistic, and social fields. The first award was conceived and inaugurated in 1937 by the ...
for ''Ces enfants de ma vie'' (1977).


1950-2000

Several important literary figures emerged from the
Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
Jew Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""Th ...
ish community in the mid-20th century. A. M. Klein found great success in 1948 with ''The Rocking Chair and Other Poems'', which won a
Governor General's Award The Governor General's Awards are a collection of annual awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, recognizing distinction in numerous academic, artistic, and social fields. The first award was conceived and inaugurated in 1937 by the ...
for poetry and sold in unexpectedly large numbers. He published his only novel, ''
The Second Scroll ''The Second Scroll'' is a 1951 novel by the Jewish-Canadian writer A. M. Klein. Klein's only novel was written after his pilgrimage to the newly founded nation of Israel in 1949. It concerns the quest for meaning in the post-Holocaust world, a ...
'', in 1951. Klein would come to be recognized as 'one of Canada's greatest poets and a leading figure in Jewish-Canadian culture'.
Mordecai Richler Mordecai Richler (January 27, 1931 – July 3, 2001) was a Canadian writer. His best known works are ''The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (novel), The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'' (1959) and ''Barney's Version (novel), Barney's Versi ...
's fourth novel '' The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'', set like much of his work in the largely Jewish
Saint Urbain Street Saint Urbain Street (french: rue Saint-Urbain) is a major one-way street located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The original, southernmost section of the street was built by Urbain Tessier (c. 1624–1689), a farmer and carpenter who settled in t ...
district of Montreal, was published in 1959 to great acclaim. This novel, ''
Joshua Then and Now ''Joshua Then and Now'' is a Canadian novel written by Mordecai Richler, published in 1980 by McClelland and Stewart. A semi-autobiographical novel, the book is based his life on his neighborhood growing up in Montreal, Quebec, and tells of the l ...
'' (1980) and '' Barney's Version'' (1997) would all be made into major feature films, while ''
St. Urbain's Horseman ''St. Urbain's Horseman'' is the seventh novel by Canadian author Mordecai Richler. First published in 1971 by McClelland & Stewart, it won the Governor General's Award for 1971. Plot and setting The novel is set in London and Montreal during th ...
'' (1971) and ''
Solomon Gursky Was Here ''Solomon Gursky Was Here'' is a novel by Canadian author Mordecai Richler first published by Viking Canada in 1989. Summary The novel tells of several generations of the fictional Gursky family, who are connected to several disparate events in t ...
'' (1989) were shortlisted for the
Man Booker Prize The Booker Prize, formerly known as the Booker Prize for Fiction (1969–2001) and the Man Booker Prize (2002–2019), is a literary prize awarded each year for the best novel written in English and published in the United Kingdom or Ireland. ...
. Richler's satirical 1992 book ''
Oh Canada! Oh Quebec! ''Oh Canada! Oh Quebec! Requiem for a Divided Country'' is a book by Canadian novelist Mordecai Richler. Published in 1992, it parodied the evolution of language policy in Quebec, and spoofed the Canadian province of Quebec's language laws that re ...
'' stirred controversy by lampooning Quebec's language laws restricting the use of English, leading to criticism by Quebec nationalists. The outspoken, flamboyant poet
Irving Layton Irving Peter Layton, OC (March 12, 1912 – January 4, 2006) was a Romanian-born Canadian poet. He was known for his "tell it like it is" style which won him a wide following, but also made him enemies. As T. Jacobs notes in his biography (2001) ...
rose to national prominence with 1959's ''A Red Carpet for the Sun'', which won the
Governor General's Award The Governor General's Awards are a collection of annual awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, recognizing distinction in numerous academic, artistic, and social fields. The first award was conceived and inaugurated in 1937 by the ...
.
Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death, and romantic relationships. He was inducted in ...
published the poetry collections ''
Let Us Compare Mythologies ''Let Us Compare Mythologies'' is the first poetry book by Canadian poet and songwriter Leonard Cohen. Written in 1956, shortly after Cohen left McGill University where he studied English literature, it was first published as part of the McGill ...
'' (1956), '' The Spice-Box of Earth'' (1961) and ''
Flowers for Hitler ''Flowers for Hitler'' is Canadian poet and composer Leonard Cohen's third collection of poetry, first published in 1964 in literature, 1964 by McClelland & Stewart. Like other artworks regarding Adolf Hitler as a subject, it was somewhat contro ...
'' (1964) and the novels ''
The Favourite Game ''The Favourite Game'' is the first novel by Leonard Cohen. It was first published by Secker and Warburg in the fall of 1963. In 1959, Cohen was awarded a $2,000 Canada Council grant, which he used to live cheaply in London and on the Greek isla ...
'' (1963) and ''
Beautiful Losers ''Beautiful Losers'' is the second and final novel by Canadian writer and musician Leonard Cohen. It was published in 1966, before he began his career as a singer-songwriter. Set in the Canadian province of Quebec, the story of 17th-century ...
'' (1966) before going on to achieve international stardom as a musician.
Louis Dudek Louis Dudek, (February 6, 1918 – March 23, 2001) was a Canadians, Canadian poet, academic, and publisher known for his role in defining Modernism in poetry, and for his literary criticism. He was the author of over two dozen books. In ''A D ...
published dozens of volumes of poems including ''Europe'' (1954), ''The Transparent Sea'' (1956), ''En Mexico'' (1958) and ''Atlantis'' (1967). He was invested as a member of the
Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the ...
in 1984 as 'one of Canada's leading poets'.
Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Communauté métrop ...
author
Yves Thériault Yves Thériault, OC (November 27, 1915 – October 20, 1983) was a Canadian author. He was born in Quebec City to Alcide and Aurore (Nadeau) Thériault. On April 21, 1942, he married Germaine Blanchet, with whom he had two children, Marie-José ...
found success with his sixth novel '' Agaguk'' (1958), which dealt with cultural conflicts between
Inuit Inuit (; iu, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ 'the people', singular: Inuk, , dual: Inuuk, ) are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic and subarctic regions of Greenland, Labrador, Quebec, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories ...
and white men. This book sold 300,000 copies and was translated into seven languages. His next novel ''Ashini'' (1961) won the
Governor General's Award for French Language Fiction The Governor General's Award for French-language fiction is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian writer for a fiction book written in French. It is one of fourteen Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit, seven each ...
. Author and poet
Anne Hébert Anne Hébert (pronounced in French) (August 1, 1916 – January 22, 2000), was a Canadian author and poet. She won Canada's top literary honor, the Governor General's Award, three times, twice for fiction and once for poetry. Early life Hébe ...
's first novel ''Les Chambres de bois'' was released in 1958 and she would later write such award-winning works as ''Kamouraska'' (1970) and ''Les fous de Bassan'' (1982), both of which would be adapted into films. Her novels ''Les enfants du sabbat'' (1975) and ''L'enfant chargé des songes'' (1992) both won the Governor General's Award for fiction, and ''Poèmes'' won the award for poetry in 1960.
Marie-Claire Blais Marie-Claire Blais (5 October 1939 – 30 November 2021) was a Canadian writer, novelist, poet, and playwright from the province of Québec. In a career spanning seventy years, she wrote novels, plays, collections of poetry and fiction, newspa ...
published her first novel '' La Belle Bête'' at the age of 20 in 1959 and would go on to write over 20 novels as well as plays, poetry and newspaper articles. She won the
Governor General's Award The Governor General's Awards are a collection of annual awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, recognizing distinction in numerous academic, artistic, and social fields. The first award was conceived and inaugurated in 1937 by the ...
for French-language fiction a record four times, for 1968's ''Manuscrits de Pauline Archange'', 1979's ''Le sourd dans la ville'', 1996's ''Soifs'' and 2008's ''Naissance de Rebecca à l’ère des tourments''. Numerous impactful writers were associated with Quebec's
Quiet Revolution The Quiet Revolution (french: Révolution tranquille) was a period of intense socio-political and socio-cultural change in French Canada which started in Quebec after the election of 1960, characterized by the effective secularization of govern ...
period beginning in the 1960s. Poet
Gaston Miron Gaston Miron (; 8 January 1928 – 14 December 1996) was an important poet, writer, and editor of Quebec's Quiet Revolution. His classic ''L'homme rapaillé'' (partly translated as ''The March to Love: Selected Poems of Gaston Miron'', whose ...
is considered the most important literary figure of Quebec's nationalist movement. His poetry collection ''L'homme rapaillé'' was an instant success upon its publication in 1970 and remains among the most widely read texts in the Quebecois literary canon.
Hubert Aquin Hubert Aquin (24 October 1929 – 15 March 1977) was a Quebec novelist, political activist, essayist, filmmaker and editor. Aquin was born in Montreal and graduated from the Université de Montréal in 1951. From 1951 to 1954, he studied at th ...
's first novel ''
Prochain épisode ''Next Episode'' (french: Prochain épisode) is the debut novel by French Canadian author Hubert Aquin, published in 1965. Plot summary The narrator, like Aquin himself, turns his adventures into a spy thriller to while away the time he is for ...
'' (1965), written while the author was detained in a psychiatric institution, is considered a classic of Canadian literature and was the winning title in the 2003 edition of
CBC Radio CBC Radio is the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which (regardless of language) are outlined below ...
's ''
Canada Reads ''Canada Reads'' is an annual "battle of the books" competition organized and broadcast by Canada's public broadcaster, the CBC. The program has aired in two distinct editions, the English-language ''Canada Reads'' on CBC Radio One, and the Frenc ...
'' competition. Aquin would write five more novels before taking his own life in 1977. Prolific author
Victor-Lévy Beaulieu Victor-Lévy Beaulieu (born September 2, 1945 in Saint-Paul-de-la-Croix, Quebec) is a French Canadian writer, playwright and editor. Born in Saint-Paul-de-la-Croix, in the area of Bas-Saint-Laurent, Victor-Lévy Beaulieu began primary school at ...
, a fierce opponent of bilingualism in Quebec, wrote many novels beginning with 1968's ''Mémoires d'outre-tonneau'' and most notably 1974's award-winning ''Don Quichotte de la démanche''.
Pierre Vallières Pierre Vallières ( – ) was a Québécois journalist and writer, known as an intellectual leader of the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ). He was the author of the essay ''Nègres blancs d'Amérique'', translated as ''White Niggers of Am ...
, an intellectual leader of the
Front de libération du Québec The (FLQ) was a Marxist–Leninist and Quebec separatist guerrilla group. Founded in the early 1960s with the aim of establishing an independent and socialist Quebec through violent means, the FLQ was considered a terrorist group by the Canadia ...
(FLQ), wrote the controversial 1968 book ''Nègres blancs d'Amérique'' while incarcerated in an American prison, awaiting extradition back to Canada.
Atheist Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...
writer
Gérard Bessette Gérard Bessette (25 February 1920, in Sainte-Anne-de-Sabrevois, Quebec – 21 February 2005, in Kingston, Ontario) was a French Canadian writer and educator. Bessette grew up in Montreal and attended the Collège Saint-Ignace. He continued h ...
won acclaim for the 1960
existential Existentialism ( ) is a form of philosophical inquiry that explores the problem of human existence and centers on human thinking, feeling, and acting. Existentialist thinkers frequently explore issues related to the meaning, purpose, and value ...
tale ''Le libraire'' and won
Governor General's Awards The Governor General's Awards are a collection of annual awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, recognizing distinction in numerous academic, artistic, and social fields. The first award was conceived and inaugurated in 1937 by the ...
for ''L'incubation'' (1965) and ''Le cycle'' (1971). Physician
Jacques Ferron Jacques Ferron (January 20, 1921 – April 22, 1985) was a Canadian physician and author. Jacques Ferron was born in Louiseville, Quebec, the son of Joseph-Alphonse Ferron and Adrienne Caron. On March 5, 1931 his mother died. He attended Collè ...
published his first book ''L'ogre'' in 1949 and received the 1962 Governor General's Award for French fiction for his novel ''Contes du pays incertain''. In 1977 he was honoured by the Quebec government with the
Prix Athanase-David The Prix Athanase-David is a literary award presented annually by the government of Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (w ...
. In 1964 Jacques Renaud published the violent novella ''Le Cassé'', now considered a classic of Quebec literature. This was among the first works to incorporate the
joual ''Joual'' () is an accepted name for the linguistic features of Quebec French that are associated with the French-speaking working class in Montreal which has become a symbol of national identity for some. ''Joual'' is stigmatized by some and ce ...
French dialect of working-class Montreal. His novel ''En d'autres paysages'' (1970) was influenced by
magical realism Magical is the adjective for magic. It may also refer to: * Magical (horse) (foaled 2015), Irish Thoroughbred racehorse * "Magical" (song), released in 1985 by John Parr * '' Magical: Disney's New Nighttime Spectacular of Magical Celebrations'', ...
.
Réjean Ducharme Réjean Ducharme (August 12, 1941 – August 21, 2017) was a Québécois novelist and playwright who resided in Montreal. He was known for his reclusive personality and did not appear at any public functions since his first successful book was p ...
's 1966 debut novel ''L'Avalée des avalés'' was short-listed for the
Prix Goncourt The Prix Goncourt (french: Le prix Goncourt, , ''The Goncourt Prize'') is a prize in French literature, given by the académie Goncourt to the author of "the best and most imaginative prose work of the year". The prize carries a symbolic reward o ...
and later won the 2005 French version of ''
Canada Reads ''Canada Reads'' is an annual "battle of the books" competition organized and broadcast by Canada's public broadcaster, the CBC. The program has aired in two distinct editions, the English-language ''Canada Reads'' on CBC Radio One, and the Frenc ...
''. He would win
Governor General's Awards The Governor General's Awards are a collection of annual awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, recognizing distinction in numerous academic, artistic, and social fields. The first award was conceived and inaugurated in 1937 by the ...
for that novel as well as 1973's ''L'hiver de force'', a
Beat Generation The Beat Generation was a literary subculture movement started by a group of authors whose work explored and influenced American culture and politics in the post-war era. The bulk of their work was published and popularized by Silent Generatio ...
-influenced tale of bohemian life in
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal Le Plateau-Mont-Royal () is a borough (''arrondissement'') of the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Plateau-Mont-Royal takes its name from its location on a plateau, on the eastern side of Mont-Royal and overlooking downtown Montreal, across ...
, and the 1982 play ''Ha ha!''
Michel Tremblay Michel Tremblay (born 25 June 1942) is a French-Canadian novelist and playwright. Tremblay was born in Montreal, Quebec, where he grew up in the French-speaking neighbourhood of Plateau Mont-Royal; at the time of his birth, a neighbourhood wit ...
's first professionally produced play ''
Les Belles-sœurs ''Les Belles-sœurs'' ("The Sisters-in-Law") is a two-act play written by Michel Tremblay in 1965. It was Tremblay's first professionally produced work and remains his most popular and most translated work. The play has had a profound effect o ...
'', written in 1965, set off a storm of controversy after its 1968 premiere for its use of
joual ''Joual'' () is an accepted name for the linguistic features of Quebec French that are associated with the French-speaking working class in Montreal which has become a symbol of national identity for some. ''Joual'' is stigmatized by some and ce ...
street language and realistic portrayal of the lives of working-class Quebecois. The play would go on to have a profound effect on Quebec culture, and has been translated into more than thirty languages. A prolific writer, Tremblay would win many further accolades for a diverse body of work including the comedic novel ''C't'à ton tour, Laura Cadieux'' (1973), the plays ''
Hosanna ''Hosanna'' () is a liturgical word in Judaism and Christianity. In Judaism it refers to a cry expressing an appeal for divine help.Friberg Lexicon In Christianity it is used as a cry of praise. Etymology The word ''hosanna'' (Latin ', Greek , ...
'' (1973), '' Albertine en cinq temps'' (1984) and '' Le Vrai Monde?'' (1987), and the opera ''Nelligan'' (1990) among many others. He received a
Governor General's Performing Arts Award A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts, in 1999.
Jacques Godbout Jacques Godbout, OC, CQ (born November 27, 1933) is a Canadian novelist, essayist, children's writer, journalist, filmmaker and poet. By his own admission a bit of a dabbler (''touche-à-tout''), Godbout has become one of the most important wri ...
won the
Governor General's Award The Governor General's Awards are a collection of annual awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, recognizing distinction in numerous academic, artistic, and social fields. The first award was conceived and inaugurated in 1937 by the ...
for his 1967 novel ''Salut Galarneau!'' and his penetrating essays on Quebec society were collected in the books ''Le Réformiste'' (1975) and ''Le Murmure marchand'' (1984). He won further praise for the novel ''
Une histoire américaine ''An American Story'' (french: Une histoire américaine) is a novel published in 1986 by Canadian writer Jacques Godbout. Its English translation, by Yves Saint-Pierre, was published in 1988. Plot summary Grégory Francœur, a brilliant profes ...
'' (1986). Godbout has been described as 'one of the most important writers of his generation' and having 'strongly influenced post-1960 Québec intellectual life'. Poet and novelist
Jacques Brault Jacques Brault (29 March 1933 – 20 October 2022) was a French Canadian poet and translator who lived in Cowansville, Quebec, Canada. He was born to a poor family, but received an excellent education at the Université de Montréal and at the ...
gained recognition for such works as ''Quand nous serons heureux'' (1970) and ''Agonie'' (1984), which each won
Governor General's Awards The Governor General's Awards are a collection of annual awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, recognizing distinction in numerous academic, artistic, and social fields. The first award was conceived and inaugurated in 1937 by the ...
.
Yves Beauchemin Yves Beauchemin (born 26 June 1941) is a Quebec novelist. Born in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Beauchemin received his degree in French literature and art history at the Université de Montréal in 1965. He taught literature at the Collège Garneau a ...
's first novel ''L'enfirouapé'' (1974) won the Prix France-Québec and his second novel, ''Le matou'' (1981), became the all-time best-selling novel in French Quebec literature. Beauchemin's third novel ''Juliette Pormerleau'' (1989) won the prestigious
Grand prix Jean Giono The Grand prix Jean Giono () is a French literary prize. It was established in 1990 at the initiative of Michel Albert, to honour the writer Jean Giono. Since 1992 it consists of two categories: the Jean Giono Grand Prize (Grand prix Jean Giono) a ...
.
Roch Carrier Roch Carrier (born 13 May 1937) is a French Canadian novelist and author of "contes" (a very brief form of the short story). He is among the best known Quebec writers in English Canada. Life He was born in Sainte-Justine, Quebec, and studied at ...
gained fame as a writer of ''contes'' (a brief form of the short story), most notably 1979's much-beloved children's tale ''
The Hockey Sweater ''The Hockey Sweater'' (''Le chandail de hockey'' in the original French) is a short story by Canadian author Roch Carrier and translated to English by Sheila Fischman. It was originally published in 1979 under the title "'" ("An abominable map ...
.'' He was made an Officer of the
Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the ...
in 1991.
Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Communauté métrop ...
author
Pierre Turgeon Pierre Julien Turgeon (born August 28, 1969) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. Selected first overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, Turgeon played in the NHL for the Sabres, New York Islanders, ...
first came to prominence with the 1970 novel ''Sweet Poison''. He would go on to win the
Governor General's Award for French-language fiction The Governor General's Award for French-language fiction is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian writer for a fiction book written in French. It is one of fourteen Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit, seven each ...
for ''La Première Personne'' (1980) and ''La Radissonie'' (1992). Turgeon's 1998 novel ''Jour de feu'' was released by the famous French publishing house
Flammarion Flammarion may refer to: * Camille Flammarion (1842–1925), French astronomer and author * Gabrielle Renaudot Flammarion (1877–1962), French astronomer, wife of Camille Flammarion * Flammarion engraving by unknown artist; appeared in a book by C ...
. Montreal writer
Fernand Ouellette Fernand Ouellette is a Quebecois writer. He is a three-time winner of the Governor General's Awards, having won the Governor General's Award for French-language non-fiction at the 1970 Governor General's Awards for ''Les actes retrouvés'', the G ...
has won
Governor General's Awards The Governor General's Awards are a collection of annual awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, recognizing distinction in numerous academic, artistic, and social fields. The first award was conceived and inaugurated in 1937 by the ...
in three different categories. He won for French-language non-fiction in 1970 for ''Les actes retrouvés'', for fiction in 1985 for ''Lucie ou un midi en novembre'', and for poetry in 1987 for ''Les Heures''. Montreal poet
Marie Uguay Marie Uguay (April 22, 1955 – October 26, 1981) was a French Canadian poet from the province of Quebec. She was born in the former town of Ville-Émard which has now become a district of the city of Montreal. A victim of bone cancer, she had her ...
released the collections ''Signe et rumeur'' (1976) and ''L'Outre-vie'' (1979) during her lifetime, and more works were published after her death at the age of 26 in 1981. A cultural center in the
Ville-Émard Ville-Émard is a neighbourhood located in the Sud-Ouest borough of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Overview Geography This neighbourhood is bordered by the Aqueduct Canal to the east as far north as Desmarchais Boulevard where it meets Côte-Saint- ...
neighbourhood was named in her honour. Journalist
Nick Auf der Maur Nick Erik Auf der Maur (April 10, 1942 – April 7, 1998)Downey, Donn. ''Montreal columnist chronicled cancer fight'', A1. ''The Globe and Mail'', April 9, 1998. was a Canadian journalist, politician and "man about town" boulevardier in Montreal ...
served as a Montreal city councillor for two decades and became well-known as a 'man-about-town.' He wrote or co-authored several non-fiction books about Quebec-related topics and a book of his notable
Montreal Gazette The ''Montreal Gazette'', formerly titled ''The Gazette'', is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Three other daily English-language newspapers shuttered at various times during the second half of th ...
columns was posthumously released as ''Nick: A Montreal Life,'' with an introduction by
Mordecai Richler Mordecai Richler (January 27, 1931 – July 3, 2001) was a Canadian writer. His best known works are ''The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (novel), The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'' (1959) and ''Barney's Version (novel), Barney's Versi ...
.
Suzanne Jacob Suzanne Jacob (born 1943) is a French Canadian novelist, poet, playwright, singer-songwriter, and critic. Life and career Born in the town of Amos, in the Abitibi region of Québec, she studied classics at the Collège Notre-Dame de l'Assomp ...
created a diverse body of work including essays, installations, novels, performance pieces, plays, poems, and short stories. Jacob received
Governor General's Awards The Governor General's Awards are a collection of annual awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, recognizing distinction in numerous academic, artistic, and social fields. The first award was conceived and inaugurated in 1937 by the ...
for ''Laura Laur'' (1983) and ''La Part de Feu'' (1997). Haitian-Canadian author
Dany Laferrière Dany Laferrière (born Windsor Kléber Laferrière, 13 April 1953) is a Haitian-Canadian novelist and journalist who writes in French. He was elected to seat 2 of the Académie française on 12 December 2013, and inducted in May 2015. Life Bor ...
's 1985 debut novel '' Comment faire l'amour avec un nègre sans se fatiguer'' was adapted into a controversial 1989 film of the same name. Laferrière's novels '' Le Goût des jeunes filles'' and '' Vers le sud'' were also made into feature films, and he won the
Prix Médicis The Prix Médicis is a French literary award given each year in November. It was founded in 1958 by and . It is awarded to an author whose "fame does not yet match his talent." The award goes to a work of fiction in the French language. In 19 ...
for 2009's ''L'énigme du retour''. Poet and novelist
Élise Turcotte Élise Turcotte (born 26 June 1957 in Sorel, Quebec) is a Canadian writer. She completed her BA and MA in literary studies at the University of Quebec and later received her doctorate at the Université de Sherbrooke. She now teaches literature ...
won the
Prix Émile-Nelligan The Prix Émile-Nelligan is a literary award given annually by the Fondation Émile-Nelligan to a North American French language poet under the age of 35. It was named in honour of the Quebec poet Émile Nelligan and was first awarded in 1979, the 1 ...
award for poetry for ''La voix de Carla'' in 1987 and for ''La terre est ici'' in 1989. Her 2003 novel ''La maison étrangère'' won the
Governor General's Award for French-language fiction The Governor General's Award for French-language fiction is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian writer for a fiction book written in French. It is one of fourteen Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit, seven each ...
. André Brochu was awarded the
Governor General's Award for French-language fiction The Governor General's Award for French-language fiction is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian writer for a fiction book written in French. It is one of fourteen Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit, seven each ...
for 1991's ''La Croix du Nord'' and won the poetry prize for 2004's ''Les jours à vif''. Historian
Esther Delisle Esther Delisle (born 1954) is a French Canadian historian and author of historical works from Quebec. Biography Born and raised in Quebec City, she completed her BA and MA in political science at Université Laval in Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Sainte ...
found controversy with 1992's '' Le traître et le Juif'', which was critical of leading Quebec nationalist intellectuals of the 1930s and '40s such as
Lionel Groulx Lionel Groulx (; 13 January 1878 – 23 May 1967) was a Canadian Roman Catholic priest, historian, and Quebec nationalism, Quebec nationalist. Biography Early life and ordination Lionel Groulx, né Joseph Adolphe Lyonel Groulx, the son of ...
.
Innu The Innu / Ilnu ("man", "person") or Innut / Innuat / Ilnuatsh ("people"), formerly called Montagnais from the French colonial period ( French for "mountain people", English pronunciation: ), are the Indigenous inhabitants of territory in the ...
writer Rita Mestokosho published her first poetry book ''Eshi Uapataman Nukum'' in 1995, and ''Née de la pluie et de la terre'' was released in 2014. In addition, New Englanders of French-Canadian descent became important figures in 20th century American literature, notably
Jack Kerouac Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac (; March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969), known as Jack Kerouac, was an American novelist and poet who, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, was a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Of French-Canadian a ...
and
Grace Metalious Grace Metalious (September 8, 1924 – February 25, 1964) was an American author known for her novel '' Peyton Place'', one of the best-selling works in publishing history. Early life Marie Grace DeRepentigny was born into poverty and a broken ...
.


21st century

Novelist and playwright Andrée A. Michaud won the
Governor General's Award for French-language fiction The Governor General's Award for French-language fiction is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian writer for a fiction book written in French. It is one of fourteen Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit, seven each ...
for ''Le ravissement'' (2001) and ''Bondrée'' (2014). 2007's ''Mirror Lake'' garnered her the Prix Ringuet from the
Académie des lettres du Québec The Académie des lettres du Québec is a national academy for Quebec writers. It was founded as the Académie canadienne-française in 1944 by Victor Barbeau and a group of writers. In 1992 it changed its name to the Académie des lettres du Qué ...
. Louis Émond found acclaim with the complex novels ''Le manuscrit'' (2002) and ''Le conte'' (2005), part of a cycle entitled ''Le scripte'' which is set within an abstract fantasy realm. Marie-Francine Hébert won accolades for works of youth literature including ''Décroche-moi la lune'' (2001), ''Mon rayon de soleil'' (2002), and ''Le ciel tombe à côté'' (2003), which each won prizes at the Mr. Christie's Book Awards.
Dominique Fortier Dominique Fortier (born 1972) is a Canadian novelist and translator from Quebec, who won the Governor General's Award for French-language fiction at the 2016 Governor General's Awards for her novel ''Au péril de la mer''.
's debut novel ''Du bon usage des étoiles'' (2008) was shortlisted for the
Governor General's Award for French-language fiction The Governor General's Award for French-language fiction is a Canadian literary award that annually recognizes one Canadian writer for a fiction book written in French. It is one of fourteen Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit, seven each ...
and she would later win the award with ''Au péril de la mer'' (2015).


See also

*
Culture of Quebec The culture of Quebec emerged over the last few hundred years, resulting predominantly from the shared history of the French-speaking North American majority in Quebec. Québécois culture, as a whole, constitutes all distinctive traits – spiri ...
*
List of Quebec authors This is a list of authors from the Canadian province of Quebec. A *José Acquelin *Donald Alarie *Francine Allard *Ginette Anfousse *François Réal Angers *Emmanuel Aquin *Hubert Aquin *Nelly Arcan *Gilles Archambault *Olivar Asselin *Bernard ...
*
Culture of Canada The culture of Canada embodies the artistic, culinary, literary, humour, musical, political and social elements that are representative of Canadians. Throughout Canada's history, its culture has been influenced by European culture and traditio ...
*
List of Canadian writers This is a list of Canadian literary figures, including poets, novelists, children's writers, essayists, and scholars. __NOTOC__ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X ...
*
Francophone literature Francophone literature is literature written in the French language. The existence of a plurality of literatures in the French language has been recognised, although the autonomy of these literatures is less defined than the plurality of literat ...


References


Further reading

* Lemire, Maurice (1993). La Littérature québécoise en projet, au milieu du XIXe siècle. Éditions Fides. {{ISBN, 2-7621-1672-4


External links


History of French Canadian literature


(in French)

(in French)
Public domain literature of Quebec in French

Public domain literature of Quebec in English
Culture of Quebec French-language literature in Canada