“This Could Be Anywhere” describes experiences of places, landscapes, and encounters that do not seem to respond to our natural and spontaneous interest in them. The poetry collection visits various places - Natashquan, Vietnam, Montreal - and seeks to bring out their common nature. We read the poems with the impression that this could be anywhere. Author Maude Smith Gagnon displays a lovely grasp of language through well-crafted narrative touches. In a spare, minimalist form she pays homage to the intensity of being. Bit by bit her words infuse memory and absence, welcoming the most seemingly insignificant events in the world as the beginning of great things.

Maude Smith Gagnon was born in Basse-Côte-Nord and now lives in Montreal. She received a Master of Arts degree in literary studies from the Université du Québec à Montréal. Her first poetry collection, "Une tonne d'air," was the winner of the Émile-Nelligan award and her second book, "Un drap. Une place.," won the 2012 Governor General Literary Award for French-language poetry.
Howard Scott was born in southwestern Ontario and currently lives in Montreal. His translation of "Euguélionne" by Louky Bersianik won the Governor General Literary Award in 1997. He has translated many poetry, fiction, and non-fiction titles, often in collaboration with Phyllis Aronoff. In 2001, they won the Quebec Writers Federation Translation Award and in 2009 they were shortlisted for the Governor General Literary Award. He is a past president of the Literary Translators Association of Canada.

Maude Smith Gagnon's profile page

Howard Scott is a Montreal literary translator who works with fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. His translations include works by Madeleine Gagnon, science-fiction writer Élisabeth Vonarburg, and Canada’s Poet Laureate, Michel Pleau. Scott received the Governor General’s Literary Award for his translation of Louky Bersianik’s The Euguelion. The Great Peace of Montreal of 1701, by Gilles Havard, which he co-translated with Phyllis Aronoff, won the Quebec Writers’ Federation Translation Award. A Slight Case of Fatigue, by Stéphane Bourguignon, another co-translation with Phyllis Aronoff, was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award. Howard Scott is a past president of the Literary Translators’ Association of Canada.

Howard Scott's profile page