Every week, The newspaper, in collaboration with the firm Léger, unveils a probe shot on a variety of subjects that affect you from near or far. Our barometer thus measures what makes you vibrate or frown as a Quebecker, young and old, francophone, anglophone or allophone, in Montreal or in the region.
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What are the three best Quebec novels in history?
1. Caleb’s Daughters (Arlette Cousture) : 20 %
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2. Used happiness (Gabrielle Roy): 19 %
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3.A man and his sin (Claude-Henri Grignon): 12 %
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4. 5150, rue des Ormes (Patrick Senécal): 11 %
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5. Gabrielle (Marie Laberge): 8 %
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6. The story of Pi (Yann Martel): 8 %
7. Aliss (Patrick Senécal): 7 %
8. Amos Daragon (Bryan Dog): 7 %
9. Kamouraska (Anne Hébert): 7 %
10. The Seven Days of Retaliation (Patrick Senécal): 7 %
11. The monster (Ingrid Falaise): 6 %
12. Volkswagen Blues (Jacques Poulin): 6 %
13. Hell.com (Patrick Senécal): 6 %
14. Le Matou (Yves Beauchemin): 5 %
15. The fat woman next door is pregnant (Michel Tremblay): 5 %
16. The Occident (Germaine Guèvremont) : 5 %
17. How to have sex with a nigger without getting tired (Dany Laferrière): 5 %
18. The swallow of the swallowed (Réjean Ducharme): 5 %
19. Annabelle (Marie Laberge): 5 %
20. Maria Chapdelaine (Louis Hémon): 5 %
21. The passenger (Patrick Senécal): 5 %
22. The hunting-gallery (Honoré Beaugrand): 4 %
23. The little girl who loved matches too much (Gaétan Soucy): 4 %
24. The Emerald Knights (Anne Robillard): 4 %
25. Ru (Kim Thuy): 3 %
► Methodology
The survey was carried out in two stages. LEO (Leger Opinion) panelists were asked an open question to submit their favorite novels. Then, a scientific survey was carried out among a thousand representative Quebecers from February 12 to 14, 2021 on the basis of the 75 most mentioned novels. Each respondent could choose up to 3 novels. Only the 25 most popular novels are presented in this barometer.
- Philippe Leger, The Journal of Montreal
The finding
This barometer, produced from a list of 75 books, inevitably mixes the best novels as well as those which are the most famous. This is why four of the six best Quebec novels have been transformed into a television series or a film. It’s the case for Caleb’s Daughters (1er), A man and his sin (3e), 5150, rue des Ormes (4th) and The story of Pi (6e).
The surprise
The terroir marks us and interests us in literature. The authors to whom we are particularly attached described, at a very precise moment, our territory, our condition and our mores. Our winter decor was expressed by Kamouraska (9th), the working-class district of Saint-Henri and the Plateau, by Used happiness (2nd) and by The fat woman next door is pregnant (15th), and our rurality by Maria Chapdelaine (20e).
Disappointment
How many novels in this barometer have you read? Of them ? Maybe three? The novel, like literature in general, is probably the art form most ignored by Quebecers, especially when compared to our consumption of comedy and music shows.
WE LOVE ÉMILIE BORDELEAU!
- Sophie Durocher, The Journal of Montreal
Feminists will be happy! Quebecers’ favorite novel was written by a woman, about a strong woman.
I’m sure that when she started writing her novels, Arlette Cousture had no idea that by telling her own grandmother’s story, she would one day find herself number one in the hearts of Quebecers.
But admit that it is still quite revealing that the most popular novel in the hearts of Quebecers tells us about a story of the land, both feet firmly anchored in our national history.
It is perhaps because of this attachment to the “terroir” that the very “urban” novel by Nelly Arcan, Whore, which had an international career, and which was so wonderfully written, is nowhere to be found in the 25 Most Beloved Novels. When we talk about literature, it was still a must.
My other disappointment? That the readers did not approve The woman who flees, the superb novel by Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette which still haunts you for months after having finished it.
Reassuring
On the other hand, I find it quite reassuring that The swallow of the swallowed de Ducharme is on the list. After all, this novel was added five years ago to the Quebec Cultural Heritage Register, because its publication is considered to be “a historical event”.
And to think that the novel was published in France, because a Quebec publisher (Pierre Tisseyre) had not recognized Ducharme’s talent.
How ironic that 55 years later, it finds itself in the list of favorite novels of Quebecers! Like what the adage “no one is a prophet in his country” is not always true.
One last thought: we find not one, not two, not three, not four, but five books by Patrick Senécal!
What does five horror books say about us as a people? That we like to be told about fears?
► Make the difference.
Do the results of this survey make you react? Send us your opinion letters to participate in the discussion at the following address: [email protected]
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Subscribe to LEO, the Léger panel: https://bit.ly/3raMw62
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/data/photo/2021/03/22/605836d2adcfd.jpg "Today 39 years ago, NASA launched the Space Shuttle Columbia into Earth’s orbit")