Here, the Paul-O.-Trépanier library team will be particularly spoiled with the visit of author and radio host Jean-Philippe Pleau. Interested parties will be able to reserve one of the 50 places (free, like the rest of the programming) starting at 10 a.m. this Saturday, at the library counter or via the City of Granby registration platform.
Pleau will first read extracts from the autobiographical novel Rue Duplessis: my little darknessthrough which he recounts his journey as a “class defector”, born to an illiterate father and a mother with little education. After a conversation with literacy facilitator Jessika St-Onge, members of the public will also be able to ask their questions.
“I wrote this book to free myself from shame and transform it into pride, yes, but above all to reach out to people. I felt like I wasn’t the only one in my gang. The statistics clearly show this: between 34% and 59% of students at our universities, at the moment, are first-generation students. That’s a nasty bunch of people,” underlined the sociologist by training in an interview with The Voice of the East.
The Paul-O.-Trépanier library, in Granby (Archives La Voix de l’Est)
Jean-Philippe Pleau admits to having been pleasantly surprised by the sudden enthusiasm generated by his work. Lux Éditeur planned a print run of 3000 copies, but they all found buyers within four days!
“What affects me the most since last April is that my messaging has completely exploded. Lots of people also stop me in the metro to tell me that they recognized themselves in this book. I allowed them to put words to their own experiences as class defectors,” said the Drummondville native, also at the helm of the show. Think out loud on the airwaves of ICI Première.
-A “kinship of spirit”
It is also from Granby that Pleau will participate in the reading marathon offered live on the Zoom platform. Between 8 p.m. and 8:45 p.m., he will team up with host Amélie Boivin Handfield and Wendat author Isabelle Picard.
There are 20 of them, these “reading duos” include, among others, spokespersons Chloé Varin and Éric Chacour, winner of prestigious prizes for his novel. What I know about you. No rebroadcast is planned, in order to preserve the unique and intimate character of this proposal.
Chloé Varin and Éric Chacour (Lucas Prud’homme-Rheault)
Two other activities are offered at the Paul-O.-Trépanier library as part of this Reading Night, namely a “library-camping”, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and a “literary jumble”, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Built by the Union of Quebec Writers (UNEQ) and the Read to Succeed Foundation, the complete program is available online. Jonquière, Quebec and Sherbrooke are among the other participating cities.
