Former resident of Saint-Raymond, Éric Trudel has just published an essay entitled Act masculine, but do it well. It launched on October 27, at Maison Plamondon.
Éric Trudel began writing about his experiences as a man when he became a monthly columnist for the magazine Vitalité Québec in 2005. He also participated for nine years in a listening and speaking group of the Réseau Hommes Québec. In addition, he was recently selected as a citizen winner for a positive masculinity prize awarded by the organization Men who change.
The importance of expressing yourself
For Éric Trudel, the publication of his book constitutes a further step in the promotion of healthy masculinity. When in interview with the Mailwe ask him what is the message he wants to convey, first to men, but also to women, he talks about “the importance of expressing yourself, no matter what form it takes. There are guys who have less ability to express themselves in words. Writing can, for example, be a good way to express what we experience inside and become a means of healing. »
Act masculine, but do it wellbook recently published by Éric Trudel. Photo: Pierre Paquet
Autobiographical story
On the back cover of his book, Éric Trudel summarizes his words well and announces that it is largely an autobiographical story. » Act masculine, but do it well, is that what we ask of men today? Yes, there was the macho, the pink man, the metrosexual and I don’t know what type of man society asked us to be. My quest began very young, I searched a lot for myself as a man, between what I perceived of the expectations of others and what I deeply am. This collection is a bit of my journey through sharing my personal experiences.”
Some excerpts
After finishing reading this book, one has the impression that its main message is found on page 39, when its author speaks of “the acceptance of vulnerability to achieve a deep inner liberation”. This place where Éric Trudel was able, like many other guys, to agree to show himself vulnerable is well described in chapter 1, when he introduces readers to the Quebec Men’s Network (today Hommes Québec). » Be with guys who are brave enough to show themselves vulnerable and fragile in front of other guys, without coming across as weak. Leave out the rusty armor he’s been dragging around for so many years. “
Éric Trudel in theatrical mode, during the launch of his book. Photo: Offered by Éric Trudel
Diversity of texts
Act masculine, but do it well is in fact a collection of writings which sometimes take the form of poems, sometimes that of a chronicle or humor. For example, the text written for the stage, God is a womanturns out to be very funny.
We also find touching passages like the one where the filial bond is discussed. » The bond between the father and his children does not immediately have the same power as that with the mother who, for nine months, carried them within her. The link with the father is more subtle, more discreet. A sort of taming day after day, where the events of life, like the hammer forging metal, shape its solidity and give it all its strength. “
Launches
After a first launch at the Café-librairie Le mot de tasse in Quebec, Éric Trudel held a second public reading of extracts from his book at Maison Plamondon, Sunday October 27. He then took the opportunity to raise awareness of certain organizations that help men in Quebec, including the Hommes Québec organization which was important in his personal journey.
You can obtain Act masculine, but do it well at the Café-bookstore Le mot de tasse in Quebec and on Amazon.
