Jean-Philippe Baril Guérard: the one who could have been in my CEGEP class

It's not often that I read a book and think, "Wow, I want to read every book by that person." I think the last time that happened was when I was about 8 years old and I decided to read all Lucy Maud Montgomery's books, because I so much liked Anne of Green Gables.

Well, it seems that Jean-Philippe Baril Guérard is my Lucy Maud Montgomery, adult version. It's cynical, quite dark, there's sex, drugs, and a lot a curses. But it's also incredibly creative, surprisingly deep and close to me. It takes place not only in my city (Montreal), but in my area, in my language, and with people my age. I had the strong impression that I could have met the author in one of my CEGEP classes. Enough to develop an instant obsession.

I read these four novels in a row. Since my goal is to have you read them, I'll just give you an introductory taste.

Note that no one paid me to make this shameless publicity.

Haute démolition ("High demolition")

A woman, at a party, starts telling a guy who is starting to fall for her what would happen if they slept together that night. In great detail, so much so that it takes a whole book. Spoiler: it's not pretty.

With its narration in the you and the simple future tense, the text is a bit confusing. For me, it's a totally new concept. I wasn't sure I liked it, I wasn't sure I liked the narrator (a bit pretentious to imagine how a guy will develop a consuming passion for you, isn't it?), but I devoured it. The guy works in the comedy industry and you get a behind-the-scenes look at the business, including tips on how to craft a good joke, and how to react when a friend gets outed as part of the #MeToo movement. I still often find myself thinking about that book.

Manuel de la vie sauvage ("Wildlife manual")

I just found out that Manuel de la vie sauvage ("Wildlife manual") has been adapted for television and to the theater. I can even listen to the whole series for free on Séries Plus it seems. The excitement is building.

This one is a satire of the business world. Kevin Bedard (worst name on earth according to him) explains how to become a millionaire in Quebec, and it basically involves being an asshole. I was a little less impressed with the concept than I was with Haute démolition ("High demolition"), not as original in my opinion, and I think that in the end, it is the one I like the least. But the whole Baril Guérard vibe is there, and like his other books, I got through it in record time.

Royal

This one is by far the most satisfying of the bunch. I've never been interested in trying to " carve out " a place for myself in contingent fields like medicine or law, and it's really nice to be proven right in this way. Here we have a critique of law school at the University of Montreal, where students are told at the outset that they are part of society's elite (if they manage to survive the program, of course), and where getting average grades one term can throw you into a cold sweat. All of Jean-Philippe Baril Guérard's books criticize some aspect of society, but this one is the most scathing in my opinion. It will be a pleasure for me to offer it to the cynics around me.

Sports et divertissements ("Sports and entertainment")

I was introduced to this author with this one. Here we have a 22-year-old actress who made her name with a teen show she starred in years ago, and who is way too rich for her maturity level. She's beautiful, people love her, and she thinks she can do anything. The worst part is that she seems to be right. She uses people as tools, takes drugs, says exactly what she thinks, and never gets punished. I read this book in a hurry, driven by a kind of unhealthy curiosity, and it rubbed my dark humor the right way. This one stuck in my head too, because it's really more brilliant than it looks.