We are witnessing a real one boom, enthuses Anne-Isabelle Tremblay, manager of the Librairie du Québec in Paris. Owned by the Canadian government, this bookstore has been promoting and distributing La Belle Province literature for over 25 years.

The fact remains, from the memory of a librarian, the current craze is new: novels, essays, comic strips … The shelves of bookstores are overflowing with this literature, both close to France in its language, but until now. far.by his imagination in North American.

Literary awards

The last one discussed? Comics author Julie Doucet, who recently won the Grand Prix at the Angoulême Festival, is the most prestigious French-speaking award in the world of comics. He was the first Canadian to commit to it.

In the fall, another Quebecer caused a stir: novelist Kevin Lambert, finalist for the Prix Médicis along with You will love what you killed. Quebecer Marie-Ève ​​Thuot is running for the same prize last year for her novel The trajectory of confetti. He was also a finalist for the prestigious Prix de Flore.

Not to mention the 2020 Renaudot essay prize, awarded to Dominique Fortier for paper towns, about the American poet Emily Dickinson. A dedication for this literature, which has long been avoided by French literary prizes.

Because whether French-speaking authors and authors from the Maghreb or sub-Saharan Africa often receive awards-Tahar Ben Jelloun, Goncourt 1987, Djaïli Amadou Amal, Goncourt des lycéens 2020, or Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, Goncourt 2021 -, this is far from the case for figures of Quebec literature.

Translate instead of correctly

There has always been little contempt for this literature and its language, assures Lola Nicolle, editor at young publishing house Les Avrils. Together with Sandrine Thévenet, she published two texts by Quebec feminist Martine Delvaux in early March: The world is yours at Firefighters and arsonists.

Also, Grandma Nicolle continued, for a long time, we did not think to translate, but to correct a language then considered difficult by French readers. Now, things are changing because Quebec publishers are more assertive, daring to ask for more. There is no question for them to accept that their language is corrupt.

” For us, it is important to affirm the legitimacy of the Quebec language. We are ready to adapt on a case-by-case basis, but it is important to help create habit in the reader. “

His publishing house sold the rights to the book Burgundy, a railing autofiction by Mélanie Michaud about her childhood in a difficult area of ​​Montreal, with JC Lattès. Released in early March in France, the novel has been adapted to the edges.

The goal? Let the Quebec language live. Her expressions are like her English words. Only those that can cause confusion have been changed. It is a work of goldsmith, underline editor Constance Trapenard. No question of translation or distortion, we collaborated with Sébastien.

Added a glossary

Same tone or almost in the publishing house Stock, published in early January Waterfowlby Gabrielle Filteau-Chiba, who left everything to live in a cabin in the Quebec forest, as she says in her first book, Encabanée.

I never told myself I needed to translate, says its editor, Raphaëlle Liebaert. Neither translation nor franchise; a simple glossary thought out by the author and the editor allows the reader, if he so desires, to immerse himself in the unity of the language at the end of his reading.

On each occasion, Anne-Isabelle Tremblay remembers, this should be common and joint work between the editor and the author. After all, isn’t that called respect for creative work?