Hubert Aquin facts for kids
Hubert Aquin (born October 24, 1929 – died March 15, 1977) was a talented writer from Quebec. He was known for his novels, essays, and even for making films. He also worked as an editor and was a strong supporter of Quebec's independence.
Aquin was born in Montreal. He studied at the Université de Montréal and later in Paris. When he returned to Montreal, he worked for Radio-Canada from 1955 to 1959. After that, he spent five years working with the National Film Board of Canada. There, he wrote, directed, and produced films.
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Aquin's Fight for Quebec Independence
From 1960 to 1968, Aquin was very active in the movement for Quebec independence. This movement aimed for Quebec to become its own country. He was an important member of the first political party that supported independence, called the Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale.
In 1964, Aquin announced he would take strong actions to help Quebec become independent. He was arrested soon after and stayed for four months in a psychiatric hospital. While he was there, he wrote his first novel, Prochain épisode (1965). This book tells the story of a revolutionary who is in prison. He was later released.
His Famous Novel: Next Episode
Aquin's novel Prochain épisode is considered a classic in Canadian literature. Its English translation, called Next Episode, was chosen for the 2003 edition of CBC Radio's Canada Reads competition. This is a popular contest where different books are championed by well-known Canadians. Journalist Denise Bombardier supported Next Episode, and it became the winning book that year. An earlier English translation of the novel was published in 1967.
Hubert Aquin passed away on March 15, 1977. You can learn more about his interesting life from two documentaries: Deux épisodes dans la vie d'Hubert Aquin (1979) by Jacques Godbout and HA!: A Self-Murder Mystery (2003) by his friend Gordon Sheppard.
Recognition
The Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) honored Hubert Aquin by naming its main humanities building after him. This was because he was the first director of their literary studies department in 1969. He was also a professor there, and his important novels and radio plays made a big impact.
See also
- Emmanuel Aquin, one of his three sons, who is also a writer
- François Aquin, his cousin, who was a politician
Filmography
- À St-Henri le cinq septembre — 1962
