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Emile Claudel is no ordinary child. Only months after he was born, following the liberation of France in 1945, he can already speak several languages, much to his mother's frustration. Emile, nicknamed the Little Fox for his appearance, is born into a loveless home, where patience is in short supply. Abandoned by his family, he struggles to find a place in society. This deftly written coming-of-age novel follows Emile on his journey toward adulthood, as the country he was born into passes from austere conservatism to the counterculture of the 1960s.
About the author
Eric Mathieu is a professor at the University of Ottawa and a writer. He studied at University College London. His first novel, Les suicides d'Eau-Claire (La Meche), was a finalist for the prestigious Trillium Book Award in 2017. Le Goupil, published in French by La Meche and now translated as The Little Fox of Mayerville, is his second novel and the first to appear in English.
Peter McCambridge holds a BA in modern languages from Cambridge University, England. He runs Quebec Reads and now QC Fiction, a new imprint of Quebec fiction in translation. His translation of Eric Dupont's La Fiancee americaine, Songs for the Cold of Heart, was shortlisted for both the 2018 Giller Prize and the 2018 Governor General's Award for Translation.
Summary
Emile Claudel is no ordinary child. Only months after he was born, following the liberation of France in 1945, he can already speak several languages. This deftly written coming-of-age novel follows Emile on his journey toward adulthood, as the country he was born into passes from austere conservatism to 1960s counterculture.
