“La Souillone” author Dr. Normand Beaupre

August 2006

The Franco-American Collection at USM’s Lewiston-Auburn College will host a book signing reception August 28 featuring Maine Franco-American scholar and author Normand Beaupre, Ph.D. Dr. Beaupre, whose recently released book “ La Souillone” has proven to be of great interest to Franco-Americans in Maine, is well-known to many in the Lewiston-Auburn area, and he currently sits on the board of directors for the Franco-American Collection.

La Souillone consists of reminiscences by a 69-year-old former textile mill worker who is reflecting on her life. Beaupre wrote it entirely in the regional vernacular that many Franco-American speak to this day. “The author captures the sounds and expressions of this spoken language with uncanny accuracy. It renders the spoken language of a whole population of French-speaking immigrants from Canada by faithfully reproducing the oral expression into the written word,” wrote Donat Boisvert in a recent review of the book.

Franco-Americans who grew up speaking French will recognize many of the words, such as amanchure, bâdrer, frette, mautadit, and pantoute and will be seeing them for the first time in written form. A glossary of regional terms with the standard French equivalent is included at the back of the book.

Dr. Beaupré, Professor Emeritus at the University of New England, is the author of five previous works: L'Enclume et le Couteau, Le Petit Mangeur de Fleurs, Lumineau, Marginal Enemies, and Deux Femmes, Deux Rêves. He writes in French and in English.

The book-signing event will be held Monday, August 28, from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the Franco-American Collection at USM's Lewiston-Auburn College, 51 Westminster Street in Lewiston. Light refreshments will be served, and the book will be available for sale at the campus bookstore. For more information, please call 753-6545.