French Literature Reviews - 2026

A. Duguay (ed.), Imaginary Landscapes of Acadia: A Literary Atlas
Francophone and Oral Literatures

Marie-Linda Lord and Denis Bourque (eds.), Imaginary Landscapes of Acadia: A Literary Atlas

Moncton: Institute of Acadian Studies and Research Chair in Acadian Studies, "Pascal-Poirier" series, 2010.

ISBN: 978-0-9810041-2-9

Publisher's Description:

This literary atlas is an invitation to discover an Acadia of cities and villages, lands and forests, seas and coasts; an Acadia of the present and modernity, of memory and tradition, of dreams and utopia.

Six Canadian and European researchers explore "imaginary landscapes" constructed in literary texts, illustrated in this book by photographs, artworks, manuscript pages, and metaphorical maps inspired by the imagination of six writers.

This collective volume brings together contributions from six Canadian and European researchers who examine how spatial representations function within Francophone literature. By tracing the geographical and symbolic contours of Acadia, the authors investigate the intersection of geography, cultural memory, and creative expression. The inclusion of diverse visual materials—ranging from archival photographs and artworks to handwritten manuscript pages and metaphorical maps—offers readers a multifaceted entry point into the ways regional identity is articulated through cartographic and literary imagination.

The book will appeal to scholars, students, and readers interested in Canadian literature, cultural geography, and the rich traditions of the Acadian diaspora. It provides valuable perspectives on how contemporary and historical writers construct fictional and symbolic spaces that reflect both lived realities and utopian aspirations. Situated within the broader field of regional and Francophone literary studies, this atlas serves as an engaging resource for anyone seeking to understand the complex relationship between physical landscapes and textual creation in the Atlantic provinces.