Roch Carrier is one of the most widely read Quebecois authors both in English and French. Born in Sainte-Justine, Quebec, he studied in Montreal and Paris and taught literature before becoming a fulltime writer. A quote from his short story “Le chandail de hockey” (“The Hockey Sweater”), an allegory about the linguistic and cultural tensions between English and French Canadians, can be found on the back of Canada’s five-dollar bill. His 1964 collection of stories, Jolis deuils, was awarded that year’s Prix de la Province du Quebec. He is best known for his early ‘trilogie de l’âge sombre,’ in particular his first novel, La Guerre, yes sir!, which remains his most widely studied literary work. He has been director of the Canada Council of the Arts and the National Librarian of Canada. Carrier lives in Montreal.