Maria Chapdelaine

Arriving in Canada from Brittany, France in 1912, Louis Hemon worked as a farmhand in the rural area of Péribonka, in the municipality of Maria-Chapdelaine, Quebec, Canada. During his time there he made observations of the region and the people living there which would go on to form the basis for his novel, Maria Chapdelain, which was first published in 1914, serialised in the Paris newspaper, Le Temps. Considered to be the first novel of this type, it is a snapshot of rural Quebec life in the early twentieth century, and a fascinating example of the work of a lesser-known French author.

This edition was published by the MacMillan Company of Canada in 1942, as part of the St Martin's Classics series. This small, attractive volume may be categorised as being in Very Good condition, with some staining to the boards, and some fading to the lettering on the spine. The text inside is clear and bright, with pages free of foxing or other blemishes, and the binding is tight.