Fiction
Lullabies for Little Criminals, Heather O’Neill, 2006
This heart-wrenching young adult novel follows thirteen-year-old Baby, motherless and living with her drug-addicted father, as the optimistic youth navigates the gritty side of Montreal.
Black Bird, Michel Basilères, 2003
The Desouche family navigates 1970’s Montreal in the wake of tragedy.
The Fat Woman Next Door is Pregnant, Michel Tremblay, 1978
Seven pregnant women star in this novel, the first in the Chronicles of the Plateau Mont Royal series.
The Favourite Game, Leonard Cohen, 1963
The famed singer’s first novel is a poignant coming-of-age tale, seen through the eyes of Lawrence Breavman, a young Jewish boy growing up in Montreal.
The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, Mordecai Richler, 1959
From one of Montreal’s iconic literary figures, this novel stars Duddy Kravitz, a young Jewish boy obsessed with elevating himself out of the poverty he was born into—no matter the cost.
The Tin Flute, Gabrille Roy, 1945
Set during WWII, Roy’s debut novel details the trials and tribulations of a family living in Montreal’s impoverished Saint-Henri neighborhood.
Earth and High Heaven, Gwethalyn Graham, 1944
A romance between a wealthy Protestant woman and working-class Jewish man faces scrutiny in this moving novel, set in Montreal during WWII. The iconic tome was the first Canadian book to hit #1 on the New York Times’ bestseller list.
Nonfiction
The Hanging of Angelique: The Untold Story of Canadian Slavery and the Burning of Old Montreal, Afua Cooper, 2006
In reexamining the trail of Marie-Joseph Angélique, a slave woman condemned for arson, this historical account details the often-overlooked subject of slavery in Canada.
Films
Mommy, Xavier Dolan, 2014
Directed by Québécois child prodigy Xavier Doland, this film deals with a single mother who is struggling to control her violent son until a mysterious neighbor offers assistance. It won the 2014 Jury Prize (the third most prestigious award) at the Cannes Film Festival.
The Score, Cecilia Hyoun and Sara Hyoun, 2002
Starring Edward Norton, Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando (in his last film ever), The Score follows a thrilling heist plot throughout the city of Montreal.
Jesus of Montreal, Denys Arcand, 1989
Directed by one of Quebec’s great Oscar-winning directors, Jesus of Montreal follows an actor who is asked to put on a Passion play at church, but ends up putting an unconventional twist on the life of Jesus.
