Atavisms - (Canadian Literature) by Raymond Bock (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"Atavisms" is an original and unsettling portrait of Quebec, from the hinterland to the metropolis, from colonial times to the present, and beyond. These thirteen stories, though not linked in the traditional sense, abound in common threads. Like family traits passed down through the generations, the attitudes and actions of a rich cast of characters reverberate, quietly but deeply, over generations. Here is a group portrait of the individual lives that together shape a collective history. "Atavisms" has been shortlisted for the 2014 Jan Michalski Prize for Literature.

Review Quotes

Atavisms, the excellent first book by Montreal's Raymond Bock... explores the litany of failed revolts, effects without apparent cause, the "failure gene" seemingly written into Quebec's individual and collective hearts. These thirteen "histories"--an unlucky number--can be read as individual stories. But they also bear a troubling family resemblance and a collective unity. --Le Devoir

About the Author

Raymond Bock was born in Montreal in 1981. He is the author of two books: Atavismes, which won the 2012 Prix Adrienne Choquette, awarded to the year's outstanding short story collection, and Rosemont de profil, a novella released in 2013.