Rating: 
Summary: A well-done book on Canada's 'distinct' province
Review: To a casual eye, "Sacre Blues" reads as a rather fun collection of the idiosyncrasies of Quebec and the francophone population of Canada. While the book does indeed explore these often fun and always colourful parts of the culture of Quebec, Grescoe has a lot more depth here than is readily apparent. Though sometimes he gets a little long-winded, Taras Grescoe has put together a diatribe of note in "Sacre Blues."More than just these fun facts (Such as where the nickname "Pepsis" came from, or just what the heck "Poutine" is all about), Grescoe gives the amateur reader a quick, and remarkably objective, overview of the Quebec history, and touches upon some of the most major issues to the francophone society. Everything is on display for Grescoe to discuss with grace, and not a little wit, from the sometimes hypocritical cry for being recognized as a "distinct society," to the treatment of its own provincial heroes (can we say anything negative about "Celine Dion" within the Quebec borders without fearing for our lives?). An A to Z of Quebec (and literally, in one chapter, Grescoe does an A to Z of Quebec), this book is perfect reading for anyone who hasn't touched on Quebec before, but finds the enigmatic province of interest. This is not an anti-Quebec book, and it becomes readily apparent that Grescoe feels that without Quebec, Canada just wouldn't be Canada. It's an interesting point of view, and one he illustrates, and supports, quite well.
Rating:
Summary: A well-done book on Canada's 'distinct' province
Review: To a casual eye, "Sacre Blues" reads as a rather fun collection of the idiosyncrasies of Quebec and the francophone population of Canada. While the book does indeed explore these often fun and always colourful parts of the culture of Quebec, Grescoe has a lot more depth here than is readily apparent. Though sometimes he gets a little long-winded, Taras Grescoe has put together a diatribe of note in "Sacre Blues." More than just these fun facts (Such as where the nickname "Pepsis" came from, or just what the heck "Poutine" is all about), Grescoe gives the amateur reader a quick, and remarkably objective, overview of the Quebec history, and touches upon some of the most major issues to the francophone society. Everything is on display for Grescoe to discuss with grace, and not a little wit, from the sometimes hypocritical cry for being recognized as a "distinct society," to the treatment of its own provincial heroes (can we say anything negative about "Celine Dion" within the Quebec borders without fearing for our lives?). An A to Z of Quebec (and literally, in one chapter, Grescoe does an A to Z of Quebec), this book is perfect reading for anyone who hasn't touched on Quebec before, but finds the enigmatic province of interest. This is not an anti-Quebec book, and it becomes readily apparent that Grescoe feels that without Quebec, Canada just wouldn't be Canada. It's an interesting point of view, and one he illustrates, and supports, quite well.
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