A People's History of Quebec

Overview

Revealing a little-known part of North American history, this lively guide tells the fascinating tale of the settlement of the St. Lawrence Valley. It also tells of the Montreal and Quebec-based explorers and traders who traveled, mapped, and inhabited a very large part of North America, and “embrothered the peoples†they met, as Jack Kerouac wrote.Connecting everyday life to the events that emerged as historical turning points in the life of a people, this book sheds new light on Quebec’s 450-year history––and on the historical forces that lie behind its two recent efforts to gain independence.

Reviews

"A concise history of Quebec, from the earliest days of colonization to the aftermath of the most recent sovereignty referendum, rendered in an easily read 200 pages. As fascinating as the march of great figures and the mapping of landmark events are the details of how they affected the ordinary life of their times." —Montreal Gazette

"At a trim 208 pages (including a tidy timeline of Quebec history and a useful index) and in a soft cover, it's the kind of book that's easy to carry on a trip and easy to bring to bed. It's also a good read which offers lots of room for reflection." —Quebec Heritage News

“[This] is both an excellent history book to refresh the reader’s memory and a rich introduction to a people who were told they had no history. A great read." —Hélène De Billy, journalist

Author Biography

Jacques Lacoursière is one of Quebec's most notable writers. He is the author of the five-volume Histoire populaire du Québec, which has been a bestseller since the first volume was published in 1995. He lives in Quebec City, Quebec. Robin Philpot is a writer and translator who lives in Montreal, Quebec.