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Richler’s Quebec

Sean Gallagher

About Exhibit

After living in Europe for much of the 1950s and 60s, Mordecai Richler returned to Quebec in 1972 because he was worried “about being so long away from the roots of my discontent.” The exhibit “Richler’s Quebec” is an exploration of the author’s complicated relationship with his home province, the subject of much of his writing. The author’s massive body of work that focuses on the characters and political peculiarities of Montreal reveals his relentless connection to Quebec. In his writing, and as a man about town, Richler asked difficult questions, championed unpopular moral positions, and fought tirelessly against Quebec separatism. Although he was often at odds with the Jewish and French communities, there’s no doubt that Richler was deeply passionate about Quebec. From his roots in Mile-End, to downtown Montreal and the Eastern Townships, the exhibit moves chronologically to trace the lasting impact that Richler made on Quebec history and culture.