Montreal bookstores have spoken, and according to the folks who live and breathe the written word, there are certain titles every Montrealer should read at least once.
Some of their selections serve up a slice of Montreal life — history, humour and heartache — while others come from the pens of local writers and artists, tackling subjects that hit close to home.
Theme and topic aside, they're each available at the indie bookshops that recommended them.
Supporting local bookstores does more than fill your bookshelf. It's an opportunity to connect with the city's artistic community, with shops hosting everything from author signings to poetry readings. Many also offer book delivery services, giving you a personalized alternative to the faceless online giants.
Canadian Independent Bookstore Day this Saturday, April 27, is a perfect time to shop local. Over 300 stores across the country will celebrate with discounts, giveaways and special events. What better day to pick up some top titles?
Here are some local picks for your reading list.
Librairie Saga
Saga bookseller Josée Bérubé and co-owner Mathieu Lauzon-Dicso.
Courtesy of Librairie Saga Bookstore.
Where: 5574, ch. Upper Lachine
Librairie Saga is Quebec's only bookstore dedicated to speculative fiction, featuring a bilingual selection from science fiction to magical realism. Bookseller Josée Bérubé and co-owner Mathieu Lauzon-Dicso gave their picks for anyone looking to explore these imaginative realms.
Here's what they recommend:
Le marabout by Ayavi Lake
(VLB éditeur, 1992)
Ayavi Lake’s first book, not translated into English yet (if any English publishers read this, what are you waiting for?!) carries heavy matters under the guise of humour and magical realism within the streets of Park Ex, one of Montreal’s most multicultural neighborhoods. Metamorphosis is key in this short fix-up novel, which succeeds to show us the true, multiple faces of our city, as well as the author’s love for both Quebec and Western Africa's literatures, which she blends together admirably well!
ZOM-FAM, by Kama La Mackerel
(Metonymy Press, 2021)
A beautiful, epic poetry book by one of our best Montreal-based authors and multidisciplinary artists, ZOM-FAM achieves to make you feel what it can be like to travel through borders and genders, in a magical retelling of the poet’s life. It’s infused in modernity and in mythology equally, in cascading verses that read like prose. To be read by any Montrealers (and anyone else, really!) who need to add some light and hope in their lives right now.
La chambre verte, by Martine Desjardins
(éditions Alto, 2016)
Also available in English in a translation by Fred A. Reed and David Homel at Talonbooks, this novel tells the story of the strange, wealthy and cupid Delorme family, in a Burton-like atmosphere where everything is told from the perspective of… their house, who truly has seen it all of her owners’ secrets! It’s also set in a fictional time inspired by the early days of the Town of Mount Royal, which makes us look quite differently at this suburban town within the island of Montreal.
Argo Bookshop
"The Future" by Catherine Leroux.
Courtesy of Argo.
Where: 1841-A, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest
Argo Bookshop, established in 1966, is Montreal’s oldest English-language independent bookstore. Co-owner Moti Lieberman, who is deeply familiar with its extensive collection, shared his top book picks.
Here's what he and his team recommend:
The Future, by Catherine Leroux
(Biblioasis, 2023)
In an alternate history, post-apocalyptic Francophone Detroit, a group of abandoned children form their own society in Parc Rouge. Beyond having just won Canada Reads, this book is so artfully crafted, and gives us a poetic vision: despite terrible societal changes, an imaginative future of community and hope can still arise.
Or What You Will, by Jo Walton
(Tor Books, 2020)
The spark of an idea, which has taken the form of many characters over the years, schemes to escape from the mind of his author before she dies… and to take her with him. Fantastically imagined and brilliantly written, this book is warm and humane, meta and mind-expanding. Also, Montreal and Florence are portrayed so vividly, I could even recognize the house where the main author lived
Sputnik Sweetheart, by Murakami Haruki
(Vintage, 1999)
A Japanese man teams up with his crush's older girlfriend to investigate her mysterious disappearance on a Greek island. We love Japanese literature, and this is a great entry point into the work of the renowned Japanese master. A supernatural story with romance and heartbreak, this novel shows off Murakami's considerable skills at a slim size.
Librairie Résonance
Librairie Résonance owner Jean Lavigne with books "Jean Leloup," "Leonard Cohen on a Wire," and "Hearts on Fire."
Courtesy of Librairie Résonance.
Where: 40, rue Beaubien Est
Librairie Résonance is all about music, stocking around 2,000 titles in English and French. Jean Lavigne, who runs the bookstore, has these must-read suggestions for local music lovers.
Here's what he recommends:
Hearts on Fire: Six Years That Changed Canadian Music 2002-2005, by Michael Farber
(ECW Press, 2022)
Anyone "into music" in the early 2000s remembers the buzz happening in Canada, especially in Montreal around Arcade Fire, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, The Dears, The Unicorns, Sam Roberts and many others making waves worldwide. Michael Farber who previously wrote Have not Been the Same 1985-1995 on the Canadian music scene of that period, tackles with merit the huge task of documenting not only the Montreal scene but all of Canada’s burgeoning music scene. Montreal has the leading role in his book, which not only talks about the bands but also the live scene, the reasons behind it happening (cheap rent!), and the general feeling of the city back then.
Leonard Cohen: On a Wire, by Philippe Girard
(Drawn & Quarterly, 2021)
Of course, this column wouldn’t be complete without a book by Montreal’s most famous son, Leonard Cohen. Girard had the daunting task of highlighting Cohen’s long, illustrious and sometimes chaotic career in less than 120 pages. He succeeds with an effective narrative, punctuated by flashbacks, as he covers the most important aspects of Cohen’s life leading up to his death in 2016. This graphic novel will touch you with its story and its beautiful artwork. A perfect gift for fans of the Man with the Golden Voice.
Jean Leloup: Des grands instants de lucidité, by Olivier Boisvert-Magnen
(Éditions les Malins, 2022)
For over 40 years, Jean Leloup has been the pied piper of Montreal's pop-rock music scene. He has influenced generations of singer-songwriters who, before him, didn’t think they could sing in French AND have a career. His song "1990," written over 30 years ago is still as fresh and to the point today as it was then. Olivier Boisvert-Magnen, a journalist by trade, wrote this beautifully illustrated book that covers all of Leloup's work. It is incredibly thorough, as over sixty people were interviewed for this book. It's indispensable for fans and whoever wants to know more about the "Mile End vagabond."
De Stiil Booksellers
Where: 351, ave Duluth Est
De Stiil in the Plateau was once a chic clothing boutique, but now charms as a local bookstore with a hand-picked selection of English titles. The passionate owner Aude Le Dubé offers her favourite picks.
Here's what she recommends:
Prophet Song, by Paul Lynch
(One World 2023)
Lynch doesn't shy away from the stark realities of Ireland, painting a story where loss and the search for redemption run deep. The compelling read describes Ireland's natural beauty and digs into the grit of its characters' lives. The book is likely to grip Montrealers with its raw take on overcoming adversity, mirrored in the city's own history of resilience against economic shifts and harsh climates.
Kairos, by Jenny Erpenbeck
(New Directions Publishing, 2023)
Through the lens of time and history, Erpenbeck weaves a story exploring the interconnectedness of individual lives and collective destinies. It's an intricate look at the impacts of history on personal lives, echoing Montreal's complex history of colonialism, migration, and linguistic divides.
Companion Piece, by Ali Smith
(Knopf Doubleday, 2022)
A sharp, insightful look at human relationships through a series of interlinked stories. Smith mixes humour and emotional depth to give a fresh take on how we relate to each other, making each story not just a read but an experience.
Phoenix Books
Where: 5928, rue Sherbrooke Ouest
Phoenix Books in NDG sells both used and new books, along with local art and handmade products. It's a community space that hosts all kinds of events, from poetry readings to artisan pop-ups. Staff members Melanie, Jonathan, and Michelle shared their top picks.
Here's what they recommend:
Half-blood Blues, by Esi Edugyan
(Serpents Tail, 2011)
This book is about Black jazz musicians trying to survive in France during World War II. It's a great historical fiction about living through the war, about Jazz, race, and friendship and it's also by a Canadian author.
Anvils, Mallets and Dynamite: The Unauthorized Biography of Looney Tunes, by Jaime Weinman
(Sutherland House, 2021)
This book is a lovingly-written, fun and breezy history of the evolution of the Looney Tunes characters, and the circus of men who co-developed them. Almost everyone has been touched by the lasting impact of Looney Tunes. This book contains a lot of insight and welcome opinion on the zany formula that took Warner Bros animators decades to master and how their cultural legacy surpassed anyone's expectations at the time. It's a pleasure to read for anyone who grew up watching Bugs Bunny and the whole gang.
Dragons Don't Celebrate Passover, by Michelle Franklin
(Amazon Publishing, 2023)
This book offers a humourous spin on Passover, showing dragons trying their claws at the holiday’s customs. Illustrated by a Montreal artist, the book has a playful, local flavour that brings fresh life to familiar celebrations.
Saint-Henri Books
Someone holds up books "Our Lady of Mile End," "In Other Words" and "The Autobiography of Red."
Courtesy of Saint-Henri Books.
Where: 4622, rue Notre Dame Ouest
Whether you're attending author events or just browsing the shelves, you'll feel the warmth and welcoming atmosphere that sets Saint-Henri Books apart. Store manager Rachael handpicked three must-reads for every Montrealer.
Here are her recommendations:
The Autobiography of Red (or Plainwater), by Anne Carson
(Penguin Randomhouse, 2016)
A Canadian icon and former Montrealer, Anne Carson’s writing is all about opening up — reading her work is the literary equivalent of a cold plunge. Her writing loosens edges and transgresses form. It’s hard to pick a single work, but for your first Anne I’d suggest The Autobiography of Red, or Plainwater. The former is a retelling of the Herculean myth, where the red-winged monster Geryon is a teenage boy who falls in love with Hercules. The latter is a collection of verse and essays around the theme of water and includes a sort of travel diary of a pilgrimage through Spain, which is my favourite part.
In Other Words, by Jhumpa Lahiri
(Alfred A. Knopf, 2016)
Written by the trilingual Lahiri, In Other Words is a meditation on the intimacy and exclusionary nature of language– the vulnerability of learning and belonging. Lahiri grew up speaking both Bengali and English but felt some degree of alienation in both languages. She moved to Rome and chose Italian as her ‘home’ language– now she writes entirely in Italian. This is a book for anyone interested in translation, but as a Montrealer currently learning French, I found it particularly exciting. It is dual-language, meaning the original Italian is on the left page and the English translation is on the right. I had fun reading the Italian side and seeing what words I could parse out and how the language moved through me.
Our Lady of Mile End, by Sarah Gilbert
(Anvil Press, 2023)
A tender and sweet short story collection brimming with Mile End charm and the cutest cover design by Arizona O’Neill. The stories touch on gentrification, evictions, and tenant-landlord dynamics but with a rosy undertone of hope and neighbourhood nostalgia. In the wake of the new housing bill killing lease transfers, this collection is especially poignant. So even though I winced at the relatability of some stories, reading Our Lady reminded me of all the little things that made me fall in love with the Mile End and Montreal as a whole.