The suggested reading section is designed to give us editors a chance to better interact with the readers of The Long Trip Home, and to personalize us a bit. Also, the suggested reading adds a little something to the Spotlight section: more than just a list of books to read that have to do with the quarterly spotlight, these books, music albums, or films have a little bit of meaning behind them, and we editors tell you why exactly we chose them, and what they mean to us. Make sure to check our other book choices, located on the main page of each category.
Click here to visit the rest of the Quebec Spotlight section.
October Quarter Spotlight: Quebec
Quebec's place in literary history is marked, perhaps, by the fact that it is a bilingual province, making French literature and English literature go hand in hand. Modern day authors like Roch Carrier, who deals with the differences between Quebec and the rest of Canada, Yann Martel, author of Life of Pi, who, while not a native of Montreal, has made the area his home, and the important playwright Michel Tremblay, born in Montreal, are giving French Canadians an important place among North American writers, and indeed international writers as well. Pride in the literary tradition of Montreal and around has lead to books and stories regarding the history of this tradition, including an excellent literary guide to Montreal and the writers who have lived there: Storied Streets: Montreal in the Literary Imagination.
Listed here are books or films that have made Quebec interesting for us, the editors:
Jackie's
Pick:
The
Score
I admit that the film 'The Score' may not be on most people's picks for its beauty shots of Montreal, or its cultural history of Quebec, but I couldn't help it. Having never been to the city myself, watching scenes of downtown Montreal rotate around a captivating thriller of a plot (and I've been a fan of these kind of Robert DeNiro movies for a while, including Ronin and Heat) offers glimpses into life in Canada's second largest city. Robert DeNiro plays a native of Montreal who is paid to do what he hopes to be his last job: rob a relic from his hometown. Edward Norton is hired to help him out, while Angela Bassett plays DeNiro's long term girlfriend. So what if it doesn't offer a cultural tour of the historic center? If you want to feel like you're in Montreal with them, just opt for French subtitles!
Catherine's
Pick:
Sacre
Blues : An Unsentimental Journey Through Quebec
by Taras Grescoe
A hilarious look at Quebec beyond Celine Dion and poutine, Taras Grescoe delves into Quebecois history, politics and culture. Trained as a journalist, Grescoe addresses contemporary Quebec issues like the separation movement, race relations and the plight of native Canadians, but manages to write in a light-hearted, humorous approach. The perfect book to read during a long, cold Quebec winter.
And
more:
Storied
Streets: Montreal in the Literary Imagination
by Bryan Demchinsky and Elaine Kalman
Montreal's literary tradition has become a thing of pride, as bilingual writers work together to make their city one of literary accomplishment. Storied Streets is a guide to those writers and their city, taking a look at the history of Montreal's literary culture and observing the birth of new writers and new traditions. Storied Streets makes a great companion to those who want to learn about Montreal not only for its historical background or modern metropolitan feel, but also for the cultural heritage and literary ambitions--stories nestled within its streets.
Exploring
Old Montreal
by Alan Hustak
This guidebook of Quebec's largest city offers plenty of history and cultural background, making it a nice companion on a do-it-yourself tour as well as an excellent bit of bedside reading for anyone enthusiastic about Montreal.
Interested
in these titles or similar pieces on Quebec?
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