In 2024, what have we read? What made us run to our bookseller? Here is our annual list, which testifies to the diversity of our tastes and, fortunately, the preponderant place that Quebec creativity takes.
If it is no surprise that it rises to first place Rue Duplessisby Jean-Philippe Pleau, with the enthusiastic and sincere reception that this book has received, we are pleasantly surprised that it is an essay, right, which occupies the top of the podium. We find a second at number 11e position with Garbage! by Simon Paré-Poupart, also published by Lux, which aroused keen interest. Still on the non-fiction side, we celebrate the presence of the almost centenarian Janette Bertrand, with in 8e position One hundred years of love and in 32e, In my bloodalso with Rebecca Macon.
Let’s return to our first places. Among the first ten titles, five were not published in 2024, i.e. Lawin 2019, Where I hidein 2020, May our joy remainin 2022 and finally, What I know about you et The version that interests no onein 2023. These works, still read, are still in the news and testify to a keen awareness of the richness of our literature. Some of them have now become essentials within educational institutions, which gives rise to the hope that these readings will arouse great literary curiosity in the future. It can be assumed that Rap for solo celloby Maryse Pagé and published in 2020 which occupies number 23e place, just like Search for Samby Sophie Bienvenu, in 37e position, published in 2015, are also dependent on suggestions from teachers… and that’s so much the better!
Among the new features, Civilizedby Patrick Senécal does well in 5e position followed byAsbestosby Sébastien Dulude while the only foreign novel among the first ten titles, A wild animalby Joël Dicker, occupies number 7e place. Moreover, of these 50 best sellers, only 10 come from elsewhere. Foreign literature is generally shared between Guillaume Musso, Mélissa Da Costa, Valérie Perrin and Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt. Note, in 13e position, Mona’s eyesby Thomas Schlesser, which continues its momentum. Romance being in fashion, it shows up with two titles, respectively in 42e et 43e position with the first volumes of Twisted love et Lakestone.
Among the top ten positions in the August 12 charts, seven titles still appear on the year-end chart. Rue Duplessisalready, shone at the top, with What I know about you, Asbestos et The version that interests no onenotably.
-The short scale editions accumulate positions with 8 titles on the charts, all from the “Noire” collection, except for The potato by bike. Elise Gravel, a regular on this list, is there with two other titles, either Nutrition et The germ fan club. A Christmas present in Novemberby Stéphane Laporte and Jacques Goldstyn, recently published by La Pastèque in October, still crossed the 47e position. Jacques Goldstyn also illustrated the cover page of the December edition of the magazine Booksellers.
Finally, here are some enlightening statistics, as well as the complete list of winners:
82% of books are from Quebec
72% are books for adults
36% of books are fiction
58% of the titles were part of the “Booksellers crack” or “Booksellers advise” selections
1. Rue DuplessisJean-Philippe Pleau (Lux)
2. What I know about youÉric Chacour (Viola)
3. Where I hideCaroline Dawson (Stirrer)
4. The version that interests no oneEmmanuelle Pierrot (Le Quartanier)
5. CivilizedPatrick Senécal (Alire)
6. AsbestosSébastien Dulude (La Peuplade)
7. A wild animalJoel Dicker (Rose & Wolfe)
8. One hundred years of loveJanette Bertrand (Libre Expression)
9. LawMichel Jean (Libre Expression)
10. May our joy remainKev Lambert (Heliotrope)
11. Garbage!, Simon Paré-Poupart (Lux)
12. someone elseGuillaume Musso (Calmann-Lévy)
13. Mona’s eyesThomas Schlesser (Albin Michel)
14. QuimmickMichel Jean (Libre Expression)
15. The universe is a ninja (t. 6)Alex A. (Presses Aventure)
16. The gray wolfLouise Penny (Flammarion Quebec)
17. StrikeMireille Gagné (La Peuplade)
18. All the blue of the skyMélissa Da Costa (The Pocket Book)
19. NutritionMelissa Mollen Dupuis and Elise Gravel (Scholastic)
20. Ten daysMarie Laberge (Boreal)
21. The murder weaponFrançois Gravel (The Short Scale)
22. Work stress vs. work stressSonia Lupien (Va Savoir)
23. Rap for solo celloMaryse Pagé (Leméac)
24. TataValérie Perrin (Albin Michel)
25. Snow trailsKev Lambert (Heliotrope)
26. La Delle (t. 1): AlveniaMarthe Laverdière (The Man)
27. What disappearsMarie-Andrée Arsenault and Gabrielle St-Germain (Québec America)
28. A certain art of livingDany Laferrière (Boreal)
29. The orange groveLarry Tremblay (Alto)
30. The cinema of horrorDenis Côté (The Short Scale)
31. Hillcrest ManorSandra Dussault (The Short Scale)
32. In my bloodRebecca Makonnen (Free Expression)
33. The Spider ManJocelyn Boisvert (The short ladder)
34. A potato on a bikeElise Gravel (The short ladder)
35. Like a long accident tank, Joël Martel (La Mèche)
36. L’OracleJulie Champagne (The Short Scale)
37. Search for SamSophie Bienvenu (The August Horse)
38. Room number 7Martine Latulippe (The short ladder)
39. The ink boyMarie-Christine Chartier (Hurtubise)
40. Gaston (t. 22): The return of LagaffeDelaf (Dupuis)
41. The ocean’s shareDominique Fortier (Alto)
42. Twisted love (t. 1)Ana Huang (Hugo Roman)
43. Lakestone (t. 1)Sarah Rivens (HLab)
44. The germ fan clubElise Gravel (The 400 Blows)
45. Miville HardwareAlexandre Côté-Fournier and Geneviève Bigué (The Short Scale)
46. Stand upMélissa Da Costa (Albin Michel)
47. A Christmas present in NovemberStéphane Laporte and Jacques Goldstyn (La Bagnole)
48. Post-apocalyptic chronicles of a wise child (volume 1)Annie Bacon (Bayard Canada)
49. Between us: Know each other better, love each other betterSophie Grégoire Trudeau (KO Éditions)
50. The Crossing of Times (t. 4)Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt (Albin Michel)
