Adrien Thério is one of French Canada's most prolific writers. Although he is perhaps best known for his novels, he is also the author of several collections of short stories, two plays, and stories for adolescents; his published work includes as well editions of texts and scholarly studies, and he has been actively involved on the critical scene, having been instrumental in founding both Livres et Auteurs Québécois in 1961 and Letters Québécoises in 1976. Like his contemporary Gérard Bessette, Thério is an academic who has taught at several Canadian and American universities and whose novels often reflect his experiences as a professor. In addition to satirizing various aspects of his chosen profession, Thério likes to take a satirical and frequently humorous look at other institutions and social phenomena in his native Quebec, including...