What are your Quebec literary favourites? On the occasion of the 9th edition of the day “August 12, I buy a Quebec book”, several members of the newsroom of TVA make you discover theirs.
Xavier Brassard-Bédard – General Manager and Editor-in-Chief, Information
Behind the heaviness of the Vietnam War, Kim Thúy describes scenes of Vietnamese daily life and manages to convey to us the smells of Vietnamese cuisine throughout the novel. It really is a crush. The intertwining story and characters from start to finish allow us to devour “Ru” in less than a day. Perfect for the holidays or the gray Sundays of autumn!
AgencyQMI
Michel Jean – Head of antenna
“The Dragon of Saint-Hyacinthe” by Pierre Breton
“I love that. It takes place in the 1960s, in Saint-Hyacinthe in the Yé-yé scene. The description of the time is tasty. We find all the musicians, stars, places and it’s well shot. I can’t wait to see the end.”
Maria Pladys – Head of Desk
“An Extraordinary Woman” by Catherine Éthier
For those who already know the columnist and author, her voice will resonate in your head throughout the reading. It’s a melancholic and darker book than it seems, coated with a good dose of humor and above all intelligence.
JO�L LEMAY/AGENCE QMI
“Larvae of Life” by Christine Gosselin
A first novel in which the author explores the inner “bugs” and the evils that inhabit it.
Éliane Pilote – Journalist TVA Quebec
“Mister Big or the glorification of toxic love” – India Desjardins
A book that brilliantly addresses our interpersonal relationships, which revisits classic fairy tales. Written with the humor of a writer who is a real model for many women in Quebec!
Editions Quebec America
Marie-Anne Lapierre – Head of antenna
«In the land of quiet despairby Marie-Pierre Duval
I devoured this book. A novel that becomes a reflection for those who find their breath between their different roles at home and at work. An ode to no longer being overwhelmed and to seek the essential.
Stanke Editions
Simon Gamache-Fortin – Journalist TVA Est-du-Québec
“My Pandemic Notebooks” by Dr. François Marquis
I enjoyed immersing myself in the daily life of an intensivist at the heart of the COVID-19 crisis. The daily life of nursing staff is described in detail. The book is interesting, since it also shows the relationship of Dr. Marquis with the media, he who granted many interviews during the pandemic.
Joël Lemay / Agence QMI
Anick Berger – Journalist TVA Sherbrooke
“Two and a half” by Carolanne Foucher
A collection of poems that can be read in one go and gets us into it, but which completely transports us to its pages and leads us to reflect. A reading that went straight to my heart.
Emma Brien-Desrochers – Web Writer
“The bestiary of fruits” by Zviane
Whether you’re a fan of comics or not, it’s hard to resist the charm of Zviane in The fruit bestiary. Funny from start to finish, this little gem should be savored in one go. We discover exotic fruits, in addition to revisiting parcels of Montreal. A delight!
Catherine Légaré – Head of desk
“High Demolition” by Jean-Philippe Baril Guérard
He is the rising star of Quebec literature, and for good reason. Good characters, a good story, and a universe that might not be more stuck on our time scrutinized: the middle of humor. And I take this opportunity to invite you to read all his work!
COURTESY PHOTO/Kevin Millet
Annie Demers – Producer
Forest Woman by Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette
I love this author’s novels! In this one, there are short chapters (sometimes only one page) where it is a question of moments of life in this house or of returns to childhood memories. A beautiful positive vision of unexpected events (pandemic??). This book is an ode to life, to love, to family, to Nature; a very beautiful, rich book! It’s very well written, although I found that over time there’s a bit too much reference to nature and it becomes a bit too many parallels and metaphors. I would have taken a slightly more concise novel to read it in one go and just stay with the beauty of its writing.
Ève Beauregard – Journalist TVA Saguenay
I loved this book which tackles with humor (and a good dose of absurdity) the differences between a newsroom of the 1980s and one of the 2020s. The novel is biting, sometimes even incisive in its generational criticisms. Note that you don’t have to be from the media to appreciate it. Impossible to predict, during the reading, where the author takes us… but the book takes an unexpected turn which leads us to laugh aloud several times and to devour the book until the last page.
Stanke Editions
Eve Lemay – Web Writer
“Aliss” by Patrick Senécal and Jeik Dion
I had devoured the novel, which appeared in 2000, and I was very eager to discover the work of Jeik Dion! I was not disappointed at all. It’s “gore”, it’s raw, but it’s impossible to put down. Fans of the genre, brace yourselves!
Illustration courtesy Editions Alire and Front Froid
Lydia Labbé-Roy – Web writer
Screenplay of the film “February 15, 1839” by Pierre Falardeau
It is rare for a film script to be published, but this is the solution that Pierre Falardeau found in 1996 to find financing. A successful bet since following having won the hearts of many readers, this remarkable work finally found itself on the big screen in 2001.
Agence QMI
Dany Bouchard – Producer-assigner
“Abitibi-Montreal” Compendium
One of my favorite books was without a doubt Abitibi-Montréal, a collection of short stories written by authors with a unique pen, colorful stories, very different from each other. A connection with our regions, storytellers who accurately describe this route to one of the most beautiful – and little-known – corners of Quebec.
Claudine Giroux – Writer
“Nikolski” by Nicholas Dickner
It’s a book from 2006, but which is timeless in my opinion! It addresses identity, family ties and nomadism and these are topics that can resonate with everyone! The characters are a bit crazy and Dickner’s writing is surgical and so colorful. It remains one of my favorite works of all time!
KARL TREMBLAY/JOURNAL DE QUEBEC/
Amélie Marcoux – Journalist TVA Trois-Rivières
Free Expression Editions
Christian Lepage – Writer
“Raymond Boulanger: the mercenary pilot” by Daniel Renaud
It’s a captivating story that reads well, ideal for the holidays.
Alexandre Faille – Head of desk
“The banality of a shot” by Mali Navia
The story takes place between two worlds that have very little in common. Quebec and its North American cold, sanitized and Colombia and its South American heat, violent. It is these two irreconcilable identities that form the basis of a novel regarding a father’s exile, then his “forced disappearance” in his native Colombia, and his daughter’s tortuous attempt to put down roots in a land where she will never fully recognize herself. A novel written with great gentleness and sensitivity for such a violent outcome.
Raphaëlle Ritchot – Writer-editor
“Around her” by Sophie Bienvenu
I suggest “Around her” because it’s so rare to discover the characters of a story through the eyes of those who will cross their path. “Around her” is a choral novel so well structured, where we discover the story of Florence and Adrien. A mother and her son.
TAKE ICZKOVITS/AGENCE QMI
