The Canadians of Old
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"description": "LibriVox recording of The Canadians of Old by Philippe Aubert de Gaspé.Read in English by Bruce Pirie.
In his mid-70s, Philippe Aubert de Gaspé took on the project of recording the culture and heritage of French Canada, especially that of the 1700s, the world of his youth. The result, published in French in 1863, was the historical fiction "Les Anciens Canadiens (literally, \u201cThe Canadians of Old\u201d)
In this book, inspired by the historical novels of Sir Walter Scott, Aubert de Gaspé collected the customs, traditions, folk tales, superstitions, and songs of the Quebec people, wove in memories of life in his own ancestral home, and set all this within the momentous historical events that transformed Canada in the 18th century. Much of the book is historically accurate, based sometimes on the author\u2019s own experiences and sometimes on memories passed on to him by eyewitnesses. For example, his account of being sent to debtor\u2019s prison came from the author\u2019s own experience. The fantastic ghost story of \u201cLa Corriveau\u201d was based on the true story of a murderess whose body was on public display in iron chains (a \u201ccage\u201d) for weeks after her execution. That initial incident had already been spun into a lurid legend, and Aubert de Gaspé was the first to incorporate the legend into a work of literature.
The book\u2019s storyline hinges on the British Conquest of Quebec in 1759 and the ensuing trauma suffered by French Canada. Fictional characters are intertwined with historical figures such as a famous shipwreck survivor and specific military officers. The book is an engaging window on cultural history and one of the first great works of French Canadian literature.
The English translator of this edition, Sir Charles G. D. Roberts, was himself a distinguished author. He has been called \u201cthe father of Canadian poetry.\u201d
(Summary by Bruce Pirie)
*Warning: Listeners may be offended by some of the racial labels and depictions. Words that were considered acceptable in the nineteenth century may be offensive today. It is LibriVox policy to leave the original wording as the author intended.*
For further information, including links to online text, reader information, RSS feeds, CD cover or other formats (if available), please go to the LibriVox catalog page for this recording.
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