Louis Hémon, author of the best-known book about French Canada, was in fact a Frenchman who never lived to see his masterpiece in print. Maria Chapdelaine: Récit du Canada français , however, has lived on to become one of the major publishing successes of the century, widely read in a variety of languages throughout the world and still a focus of controversy. Hémon's reputation rests entirely on this one book, his other writings being considered relatively minor.

Hémon was born on 12 October 1880 in Brest, France, to Louise LeBreton and Félix Hémon, an inspector-general of public education. After completing his studies in law and Asian languages at the Sorbonne, Louis then spent a year at Chartres in military service (1901-1902). Still without a profession, in 1903 he settled in London, where he worked as a freelance journalist...