Harry Bernard
Harry Bernard was a notable Canadian journalist and author, born in London in 1898 to a French Canadian businessman. He moved with his family to Quebec in 1906, where he pursued his education, including studies at a local seminary and a brief period in the American army's Reserve Officer Training Corps. Bernard began his journalism career in 1919 with Ottawa's Le Droit and became the editor of the Courrier de Saint-Hyacinthe in 1923, a role he maintained for an impressive 47 years. His literary work includes his debut novel, L'Homme tombe, which won the Prix David for best novel in 1924 and explores themes surrounding the impacts of urban life on family dynamics and personal ambition.
In addition to his editorial and writing accomplishments, Bernard directed L'Action nationale for one year in 1933 and later pursued doctoral studies, contributing significantly to the field of American literature from a Canadian perspective. Throughout his career, he received multiple prestigious awards, including three Prix Davids, the Pierre Chauveau Medal, and the Prix Oliver Asselin for journalism. Bernard was also recognized by the Royal Society of Canada as a fellow in 1943. He passed away in 1979 at the age of 81, leaving behind two children, Louella and Marcelle.
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Harry Bernard
Writer
- Born: May 9, 1898
- Birthplace: London, England
- Died: May 16, 1979
- Place of death: Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
Biography
The son of a French Canadian businessman, Harry Bernard was born in London in 1898 and studied in Paris, France, before his family resettled in Quebec in 1906. After studying at a local seminary and a brief stint in the American army’s Reserve Officer Training Corps, Bernard made his first foray into journalism in 1919, working for Ottawa’s Le Droit. In 1923, he became the editor of the Courrier de Saint- Hyacinthe in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, a position he would hold for forty-seven years. Bernard’s first novel, L’Homme tombe, is about a young doctor who marries an unworthy woman. It was published in 1924 and won the Prix David for best novel of the year. A recurring theme in much of Bernard’s work is that the luxuries of city life can ruin families and bring down overly ambitious men.
In 1933, Bernard became the director of L’Action nationale, but he held the position for only one year. He began his doctoral studies in 1942 at the Université de Montréal, and his doctoral work led him to produce a study of American literature. His work marked the first critical exploration of American literature from a Canadian viewpoint. Bernard was elected to the Royal Society of Canada in 1943 for his scholarship, and he died in 1979 at the age of eighty-one. He won three Prix Davids over his career and was awarded lifetime achievement awards, including the Pierre Chauveau Medal from the Royal Society of Canada and the Prix Oliver Asselin award for journalism in 1961. Bernard was a six-time winner of the Prix d’Action Intellectuelle. He was survived by two children, Louella and Marcelle.