Short pieces on books I've always meant to review (but haven't).
They're in storage as we build our new home.
Patience, please.
Pourquoi je suis antiséparatiste
Jean-Charles Harvey
Montreal: Éditions de l'Homme, 1962
123 pages
Last year's Dusty Bookcase Best Books in Review ended with a series of resolutions, one of which was to read more books by French language authors. The bar was set very low. I read only one in 2017 – Roger Lemelin's Pierre le magnifique – and that was in translation.
I admit I sometimes find reading books in the original French a struggle, but this is not to say the effort doesn't pay off. Similia Similibus, Le Nom dans le bronze, Erres boréales, and Fermez la porte, on gèle are four favourite books covered in this blog.
I've had the luxury of reading Jean-Charles Harvey in translation. His second novel, Les Demi-civilisés, has twice appeared in English-language editions: Sackcloth for Banner by Lukin Barette and Fear's Folly by John Glassco.
That's it.
Harvey published eighteen other books during his lifetime, but not one has been translated. I find this odd in that he wasn't unknown amongst English-speaking Canadians. Harvey spoke to audiences across the country. His opinion pieces appeared – translated, I'm guessing – in the Maclean's and the Globe & Mail.
A light in the darkness of Maurice Duplessis' Quebec, Jean Paré dubbed him "bootlegger d'intelligence en période de prohibition." To Pierre Chalout, he was "grand-père de la révolution tranquille." I was born in the midst of that revolution... a revolution for which he had fought and risked everything.
I've read all Harvey's novels: Marcel Faure, Les Demi-civilisés, Les Paradis de sable, and La Fille du silence, in French, but not his non-fiction. Pourquoi je suis antiséparatiste appeared near the end of his seventy-five years. Even at the time, it must have seemed an inadvisable career move. But then Harvey was never one to stand down; Les Demi-civilisés, is proof enough of that.
He was a great man to whom I owe a great deal.
All Quebecers do.
 |
| The Globe & Mail 10 January 1944 |
I've read all Harvey's novels: Marcel Faure, Les Demi-civilisés, Les Paradis de sable, and La Fille du silence, in French, but not his non-fiction. Pourquoi je suis antiséparatiste appeared near the end of his seventy-five years. Even at the time, it must have seemed an inadvisable career move. But then Harvey was never one to stand down; Les Demi-civilisés, is proof enough of that.
He was a great man to whom I owe a great deal.
All Quebecers do.
Related posts:
I just finished a short Anatol France book in the original French, which is quite an accomplishment for me- but this was after failing miserably with a more Canadian entry. "Le Solitaire de Boulevard Gouin" by Jean-Jaques Chartrand. I breezed through the preface- then ran into a block of what may as well have been Greek. I understood all the words but couldn't make sense of the first paragraph. Anyway, it was a worthwhile thrift store score for the cover alone. Perhaps when I've scraped more rust off my French skills I've give it another go.
ReplyDeleteReading France in French is indeed an accomplishment. If it means anything, I find the more I read French the easier it becomes. No surprise, I suppose. I have a great advantage in that my wife is francophone and, like our daughter, attended French schools; so, there is usually someone I can ask for help. There is one French book I packed away to read this year... now if I could only find the darn thing!
DeleteBrian, I followed your blog many years ago but could not remember the name of it....all I new was Brain in Canada. I'm so glad my memory at least gave me that. You can see om my blog what I've been reading. But now the good news: I've joined a Canadian Book Challenge (1 July 2018 - 1 July 2019) I know I will find some great books on your blog. I read French fluently...so some of your French selections will be a great choice! Glad I found you again!
ReplyDeleteThat's great, Nancy. I just noticed your sign-up post. Welcome aboard!
Delete