André Langevin is a major twentieth century Canadian writer. A Quebec author, he expresses in his works, particularly in his five novels, the solitude, despair, and search for identity which are universal themes of modern occidental literature. These themes can be specifically related to the political situation of French Canada and to the author's personal life.

Langevin's first published works were a trilogy of novels which appeared in quick succession-- Evadé de la nuit (1951). Poussière sur la ville (1953), Le Temps des Hommes (1956)--and a largely unsuccessful play L'Oeil du peuple published in 1958. Almost fifteen years of nearly total silence followed before Langevin's next novel. L'Elan d'Amérique, appeared in 1972. It received Le Grand Prix de la Ville de Montréal in 1973 and distinguished its author as something of a literary phenomenon. This work, which Jean Ethier-Blais described in Le Devoir as "un...