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Papa Martel

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Papa Martel was selected as one of the best 100 Maine books of the first millennium by The Baxter Society (Maine), in association with The Maine Historical Society, University of Maine Orono and Portland, Maine, in 2000. Gerard Robichaud wrote this novel in 1961. But, the cultural immersion described in this heartwarming story about a Franco-American family is more important today then when Robichaud wrote and published his story, because the culture he writes about is quickly disappearing. Robichaud based Papa Martel on his family's experiences while growing up in Lewiston, Maine. Let's face it, most Americans don't know anything about Franco-Americans, except what they read on canned spaghetti. As a culture, Franco-Americans pre-date the arrival of the Pilgrims in Massachusetts in 1620 by 17 or more years, with the first settlement of French arriving in St.Croix Island, Maine in 1604. Nevertheless, Papa Martel is not as much about history as about culture. Robichaud tells the plot in 10 parts, including stories he heard while listening to his relatives talk using their typical animated gestures during family Saturday night soirees or at family reunions. What sets Papa Martel apart, however, is the terrific writing. This book is waiting for a screen-play or, at the very least, a stage adaptation. Read Papa Martel for sheer enjoyment and wind up learning something about Maine and New England's Franco-American culture in the meantime. The re-release of Papa Martel by University of Maine press helped to revive interest in Franco-American culture in the Maine media.