Times are changing at Boréal, which has just moved its household to a building in Entrepôts Dominion, located in the heart of Saint-Henri, a neighborhood so dear to the writer Gabrielle Roy (Second-hand happiness). Just installed in brand new premises whose large bay windows give an unobstructed view of the Peel Basin, the publishing house recently celebrated its 60th anniversary with all of Quebec’s literary elite.
Monique Proulx, Robert Lalonde, Gilles Archambault or Claudine Bourbonnais, Quebec authors turned out in large numbers to celebrate the longevity of Le Boréal, a must in the publishing world. Even former Prime Minister Lucien Bouchard, who published his memoirs there, With face uncovered, made the trip for a whirlwind visit. “I want to talk about literature, but we will not talk about politics. I can’t help reading, I have several books on my bedside. Right now, I’m reading the classics and a few biographies, ”he said, smiling broadly, between two hallways.
But hunt the natural, it comes back at a gallop. Mr. Bouchard did not prevent himself from playing politics by calling on the CAQ government to provide more support for authors and to facilitate better distribution of Quebec books. “I find that there are still too many people today who cannot afford to buy books,” he underlines. The publishing subsidy is good, but we have to help writers and readers. »
The anniversary was above all an opportunity to put Pascal Assathiany, former big boss of Boréal, in the foreground. After 33 years of loyal service, this emblematic figure from the shadows gave up his position as general manager last year to the tandem of Gilles Ostiguy and Renaud Roussel. Catherine Ostiguy, who keeps the youth sector, becomes a full-time editor. As for Jean Bernier, he remains the publishing director. “We honor Pascal who, with all his energy and knowledge, has made it possible to sail during these 60 years,” said Bernier.
According to the latter, the change of custody was necessary in order to ensure the continuity of the house. “I’ve been with Boréal for 33 years and I haven’t seen the time pass. Each book is an adventure in itself and each writer is different. I met extraordinary authors: Marie-Claire Blais, Gaétan Soucy or Jacques Godbout. […] Without change, there is no longevity, but continuity in change. »
The publishing director also says he is lucky to have been able to get his hands on a trio that he describes as unparalleled. “Publishing is also a matter of tradition, so it’s a question of passing the baton to the youngest, which is completely normal, even if it’s not so obvious in the cultural milieu of Quebec to find a successor. quality. »
In the more or less near future, artificial intelligence will probably poke its nose in the literary world with well-documented texts, but I remain convinced that no machine can ever replace authored books.
He adds that the skills are, according to him, well distributed within the company, noting in passing that Gilles Ostiguy, Renaud Roussel and Catherine Ostiguy had already evolved within the box for some time. “They are passionate about the publishing world and they are ready to take the helm of the house. At Boréal, we are at the service of books, and it’s over time that counts. Gabrielle Roy has been dead for 40 years now, but her books are still there. »
An opinion that Pascal Assathiany shares without flinching, who, in a humorous tone, makes a comic allusion to his age. “I’m over 77, so I’m no longer allowed to read Tintin, whose slogan was from 7 to 77,” he says with a burst of laughter.
The man who led the destiny of Le Boréal from the end of the 1980s believes that new blood will allow the house to do well in a sector in the throes of upheaval shaken by digital technology and the rise in the printing costs of the printed book. “The publishing world always has surprises in store,” he admits. You have to know how to navigate against headwinds, against the financialization of the environment. In the more or less near future, artificial intelligence will probably poke its nose in the literary world with well-documented texts, but I remain convinced that no machine can ever replace authored books. »
Rich in a career devoted to books, this Parisian by birth, of Georgian origins, arrived in Montreal in the 1970s. Antoine Del Busso recruited him at Boréal, which then published only human sciences and historical essays. Surrounded by a team made up of, among others, François Ricard and Jacques Godbout, Assathiany will open the doors of the publishing house to literature as a whole. “When I started in the business, there were four or five publishing houses, he recalls. Publishing has evolved a lot since then, and it has diversified and developed a lot. »
For a house to move forward long and far, it is crucial that it surrounds itself with people who have both “the head in the clouds and both feet on the ground”, illustrates Assathiany, who is now president of the house’s board of directors. “If I retire, it’s not to play stepmother,” he says with a smile on his face. “You leave your children and grandchildren in the hands of competent people. Le Boréal is about curiosity, imagination, writing, and all of this, while respecting freedom and independence, because it must be remembered that we have remained an independent house. »
Le Boréal can boast of welcoming an immortal, Dany Laferrière, among the 850 authors of fiction and essays it publishes, including many illustrious representatives. In addition to Gabrielle Roy, let us mention pell-mell Victor-Lévy Beaulieu, Simon Roy, Gilles Vigneault, Robert Lalonde or Hélène Monette.
For his part, Renaud Roussel recalls the diversity of the box. “We continue to welcome many new authors, young novelists and young essayists each year, and our objective is really to seek out the emerging voices of the literature of today and tomorrow. »