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Evangeline: The
Book
Evangeline
is the touching story of young lovers separated during the
deportation of Acadians from their homeland in 1755. It is, as Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow said, "...the best illustration of faithfulness and
the constancy of women..." as
Evangeline spends her
life searching for Gabriel who has remained faithful to her. In the end,
they are reunited in a poorhouse where he dies in her arms. But most
importantly, Evangeline is a story of survival – the survival of a people
who faced rejection, homelessness, hunger, and other adversities wherever
they were disembarked along the Eastern seaboard of the United States.
Evangeline
was a mirror for Acadians to recognize themselves, and it became the
gateway for the displaced Acadians to reunite as a nation.
This is a limited edition of the great poem prepared by Françoise Paradis
to commemorate the 400 year anniversary, in 2004, of the first Acadian
settlement in North America; to honor the 250 year anniversary of the
deportation in 2005; and accept the Queen's "acknowledgement of the facts
of the deportation" and her proclamation of July 28 of every year as "A
Day of Commemoration of the Great Upheaval," starting on July 28, 2005.
This volume is beautifully illustrated with old lithographs and recent
paintings. There is a historical sketch of Acadians in North America, a
pronunciation guide, and a comprehensive glossary that help etch
Longfellow’s beautiful images into our memories.
Dr. Layne Longfellow, a descendant of Henry’s cousin, wrote the
biographical sketch of Henry and the Foreword.
Dr. Layne Longfellow, a descendent of Henry’s
cousin, wrote the biographical sketch of Henry and the Foreword.
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What Readers are
Saying:
“Françoise Paradis has done a great service to the world of literature
by reprinting Longfellow’s epic masterpiece, Evangeline. She has done even
greater homage to the Acadian survivors of the diaspora of 1755.”
--Dr. Roger Paradis, Acadian History Professor, University of Maine at
Fort Kent
“Every school, library, resource center, bookstore should make available
copies of Evangeline. This book is an excellent resource. Odes to
Françoise for her commitment and preservation of our rich cultural
heritage.”
--Lisa Desjardins Michaud, Franco-American Centre Franco-Americain,
University of Maine
“…a work of love...a far more compelling book than any simple
reprint…a moving introduction where she explains the many emotions the
poem stirs up for her…a noteworthy historical sketch…a glossary…reprints
of old lithographs…wonderful reprints of paintings by Acadian artist,
Donald Cyr…a Foreword by Layne Longfellow….Paradis created a perfectly
beautiful gift in this edition of Evangeline, a publication worthy of
keeping for generations to come.”
--Juliana L’Heureux, ‘Evangeline’ retelling is a keepsake. Les
Franco-Americans column, Portland Press Herald, 5-13-2004
“Françoise Paradis' new edition of Evangeline is gorgeous. Her
well-researched historical sketch and thorough glossary invite readers
deep into Acadian history and Longfellow's "forest primeval"; the
beautifully reproduced illustrations and readable format induce us to
linger there. Evangeline was Longfellow's first blockbuster poem. With
this edition, Paradis shows us why.”
--Carolin Collins, Education Coordinator, Maine Historical Society
| About the
Author Paradis’ ancestors migrated from Mortagne-au-Perche and Brittany,
France to Quebec more than 100 years before the Acadians were
deported from Nova Scotia. Her ancestors intersected and blended
with Acadians as they migrated from Canada in the 1840s, settling in
St. Luce Parish, Frenchville. Dr. Paradis is the seventh child in a
French-speaking family of fourteen children in Frenchville the heart
of French-Canadian and Acadian culture in Maine. She has served her
fellow Franco-Americans, including Acadians, in her work as
administrator, instructor, and counselor at the University of Maine
and continues to serve them in her private practice as a
psychologist. Her research has taken her to Canada and France, and
she has written and lectured about Fran-co-American culture. She
currently lives in Buxton, Maine, where she has established Hidden
Springs Psychological Services and Retreat Center. She volunteers at
the Wadsworth-Longfellow House in Portland, Maine and at Maine
Historical Society Library. Her interest in Evangeline, the creation
of this book, and the writing of the accompanying study guide, are
products of her passion for awakening people to their ancestral
gifts and assisting them to integrate these gifts into today’s heart
and soul. Dr. Paradis can be reached at her email address, feparadis@hiddensprings.info.
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