Jacques Poulin

Jacques Poulin (born September 23, 1937 at Saint-Gédéon, Quebec) is a Canadian novelist with a quiet and intimate style of writing. Often considered the most North American of the Quebec authors writing in French. Although it is not widely known by the general public, his work is studied widely in both French and English Canada.

Poulin studied psychology and arts at the Université Laval in Quebec City; he started his career as commercial translator and later became a college guidance counsellor. Only after the success of his second novel, "Jimmy" (1969), was he able to devote himself completely to his writing. Poulin has written eleven novels, most of which have been translated into English by Sheila Fischman, and published by Cormorant Books. Poulin lived in Paris for fifteen years, but has returned to Quebec City.

Poulin's "Volkswagen Blues" was selected as a candidate in the CBC's 2005 edition of "Canada Reads", where it was championed by Roch Carrier, author and former National Librarian of Canada.

Awards and recognition

*Winner of the Governor General's Award in 1978 for "Les grandes marées".
*Nominated for the Governor General's Award in 1984 for "Volkswagen Blues".
*Nominated for the Governor General's Award in 1989, winner of the Prix Québec-Paris in 1989, the Prix Molson from the Académie des lettres du Québec in 1990 and the Prix France-Québec in 1991 for "Le Vieux Chagrin".
*Winner of the Quebec government's Prix Athanase-David in 1995
*Winner of the Molson Prize from the Canada Council in 2000

Bibliography

*The "Jimmy" Trilogy:
**"Mon cheval pour un royaume" — 1967 (Translated as "My Horse for a Kingdom")
**"Jimmy" — 1969 (Translated as "Jimmy")
**"Le cœur de la baleine bleue" — 1970 (Translated as "The Heart of the Blue Whale")
*"Les grandes marées" — 1978 (Translated as "Spring Tides")
*"Volkswagen Blues" — 1984 (Translated as "Volkswagen Blues")
*"Faites de beaux rêves" — 1988 (Not yet translated)
*"Le Vieux Chagrin" — 1989 (Translated as "Mr. Blue")
*"La tournée d'automne" — 1993 (Translated as "Autumn Rounds")
*"Chat sauvage" — 1998 (Translated as "Wild Cat")
*"Les yeux bleus de Mistassini" — 2002 (Translated as "My Sister's Blue Eyes")
*"La traduction est une histoire d'amour" — 2006 (Not yet translated)

ee also

*List of French-Canadian writers

External links

* [http://www.prixduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/recherche/desclaureat.asp?noLaureat=71 Prix Athanase-David 1995 announcement] fr icon
* [http://www.cbc.ca/canadareads/author/jacquespoulin.html Author page on Canada Reads 2005]
* [http://auteurs.contemporain.info/jacques-poulin/ Critical bibliography (Auteurs.contemporain.info)] fr icon