© CALQ
Shining a light on people who shy from exposure, who choose to live apart from others, and, in some cases, apart from the world, writing about them and their humanity, slowly revealing their soul: this gentleness and intimate depths are what make novelist Jocelyne Saucier unique.
Discreet in her own right, more at home in the boreal forest than on the red carpet, Jocelyne Saucier is one of a handful of authors who always leaves readers wanting more. And since it would seem the pace is slower north of the 49th parallel, she rewards our patience with each new novel.
Jocelyne Saucier’s stories take us into a vibrant north, stir the feeling of liberty, allow us to dream of wide-open spaces, and remind us of who we are. She engages our collective memory, by bringing to the surface swaths of our not-so-distant past.
From the Abitibi Klondike in Les héritiers de la mine to the great fires of Northern Ontario in the must-read Il pleuvait des oiseaux, translated into over 15 languages and adapted for the big screen by the great Louise Archambault, over time Jocelyne Saucier has shown herself to be, as her publisher so eloquently says, a keeper of remembrance.
Novel after novel, Jocelyne Saucier takes us along on quests for ideals and invites us to search for inexpressible feelings, inevitably changing the way we look at life.
Enriched by her desire to find just the right word and her innate sensitivity, her repertoire has carved her a place among the leading lights of Québec literature. Jocelyne Saucier always knew she wanted to write, and we can only hope she will want to write for a long time yet.
About the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec
The Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec is a distinction bestowed by CALQ honouring those individuals who have played a prominent role in Québec's artistic development.
The CALQ would like to thanks its partners, the Caisse de la Culture and the newspaper Le Devoir.
© CALQ