Yves Beauchemin

Yves Beauchemin (born June 26, 1941) is a monumental Québécois novelist, children’s author, and cultural figure celebrated for his sweeping, Dickensian narratives that capture the vibrant spirit of modern Quebec urban life. Born in Rouyn-Noranda and holding a licence ès lettres from the Université de Montréal, he worked as a literature professor and an editor before spending over a decade as a researcher for Radio-Québec (now Télé-Québec). He vaulted to literary prominence with his 1974 debut novel, L'Enfirouapé, which won the Prix France-Québec, but achieved permanent international stardom with his 1981 masterpiece, Le Matou (translated into English as The Alley Cat). Chronicling the chaotic culinary and economic adventures of a young Montrealer, the book became the all-time bestselling novel in French-Quebec literary history, was translated into seventeen languages, and was adapted into a celebrated feature film. His extensive, award-winning bibliography includes subsequent bestsellers like Juliette Pomerleau, the multi-volume Charles le téméraire saga, and La serveuse du Café Cherrier. A passionate sovereignist who formerly led the Union des écrivaines et des écrivains québécois (UNEQ), Beauchemin was inducted into the Académie des lettres du Québec in 1993, named an Officer of the Ordre national du Québec, and recently released his acclaimed twelfth novel, Une nuit de tempête.