LES CRÉPUSCULES DE LA YELLOWSTONE

In April 1843, the famous naturalist John James Audubon embarked, from St. Louis, on what would prove to be his final expedition. His ambition was to collect as many specimens as possible to immortalize them in the book he had been writing on the “viviparous quadrupeds” –mammals – of North America. Born Jean-Jacques Audubon in Saint-Domingue (the future Haiti) and raised in France, he felt at home aboard the Omega. French was the main language spoken on the boat, which flew the U.S. flag as it steamed up the Missouri River. His guide was Étienne Provost, a celebrated French-Canadian coureur de bois. This part of the continent – from New Spain to the Great Lakes – was inhabited by Indigenous peoples and trappers. It teemed with astounding amounts of wildlife. The trekkers didn't hold back as they pillaged the fauna, shooting anything that moved in the name of science, or perhaps simply from the giddiness men feel when holding a gun. Louis Hamelin explores the myths of an entire continent, just as one sails up a river, tacking between shadow and light, between official history and mysterious legend. It is also a journey in Audubon's footsteps – by car, amidst the herds of SUVs that have replaced the bison on the byways of North Dakota. His odyssey ends with a bender in Livingston, Montana, with a fervent disciple of Jim Harrison. A poignant memorial to all the lives sacrificed and all the dreams buried in the name of highway asphalt.

Louis Hamelin has written several novels, including La Rage (Governor General's Literary Award) and La Constellation du lynx (Prix des libraires du Québec, Prix des collégiens). He's also a translator and the editor of a nature writing series at Boréal.

“A fascinating book that tells the story of John James Audubon. There are scenes absolutely delicious in there. Louis Hamelin has the talent to bring scientific reality to life. Outstanding!” Culture club
“A novel full of details, written in a precise and rigorous style, remarkable for its evocative power.” La Tribune
“A captivating journey. It is a real celebration of nature.” Radio-Canada
“Probably one of the Quebec writers who best describes nature. There is something very moving about reading these passages which speak of extinct species.” La Presse
“A new book by Louis Hamelin is always a bookstore event.” Librairie Pantoute
“A lucid look at the human race, its greed, its rage, its obsessions, its follies and its thirst for money. Even Audubon despite his fantastic work had this predatory and pillaging side.” Littérature du Québec