Awarded the Prix de la langue française by the Académie française in 1938, Menaud, maître-draveur is one of Félix-Antoine Savard’s defining works. This English translation, Master of the River, brings the celebrated Quebec novel to a wider readership.

Deeply rooted in the landscapes and people of Quebec, the novel grew out of Savard’s intimate knowledge of the forests, rivers, and communities of Charlevoix. As a priest, Savard spent years among woodsmen and log drivers, sharing their journeys through the Quebec wilderness and developing a profound appreciation for their way of life, their attachment to the land, and their spirit of adventure.

From these experiences emerged Menaud, a woodsman whose fierce attachment to his heritage and native soil embodies Savard’s reflections on identity, tradition, and freedom. First published in 1937, the novel was revisited by Savard throughout his life, with revised editions appearing in 1944 and 1964 as he refined its distinctive poetic style.

Blending novel and poetic meditation, Master of the River transforms the forests, mountains, and rivers of Quebec into a powerful expression of cultural memory and belonging. It is both a portrait of the people of the land and a lyrical celebration of the vast Canadian landscape.