from the world of Quebec literature. Mordecai Richler died this morning at the Montreal General Hospital. It’s ironic, and sad, that one of the greatest writers ever to come from Quebec is massively disdained by much of the population here.

I don’t have many personal memories of the man. We never met, though I used to see him quite often when I worked at Concordia. What I do remember are his words – vivid, funny, wry novels that captured the spirit of a neighbourhood, and city, that I have made my home. And even 40 years since his first great novel, shades of his Montreal are still evident.