In The Acadians: One Acadian Family and Les Maudit Anglais (The Damn English) author and family historian Samuel Andre Aucoin chronicles the history of his family from France to Canada and the American colonies during the 1600s until the Vietnam era. Aucoin frames his family story as a teachable moment for his teenage granddaughter (and for his readers as well) who know little of the rich history of the Acadian people. We learn of their struggles to survive over the centuries as political turmoil and war tear the family apart despite their hard work and strong loyalties. They are victimized and forced to relocate numerous times as they are caught between French and English hostilities until they are forced to flee their established homes. Some return to France and Brittany, others to eastern Canada – some as far as Louisiana where they become known as Cajuns.

As an amateur genealogist whose husband is part French-Canadian, I greatly appreciated the extensive research Samuel Andre Aucoin shares. His passion for and knowledge of his subject is clear on every page of The Acadians. Despite the brutality his ancestors endured, the author nevertheless offers stories of success and hope. One of my favorite stories concerns the indomitable Marie-Terese Monplaisir who runs a brothel disguised as a flower shop and exacts a fitting revenge upon some men who abuse her employees. Another well-told yarn tells of a group of brave fishermen aboard a boat called the Stella Maris who must battle a rogue storm while on what should have been a routine fishing trip for mackerel. It is personal and inspirational stories like these that can make the past present for me.

The Acadians by Samuel Andre Aucoin is a riveting history lesson about a group of people most readers will never have even heard of. Although listed as historical fiction, this journal of one family’s journey from France to the Eastern shores of Canada in the early seventeenth century is based on recorded fact. French settlers to Nova Scotia on the eastern seaboard of the Americas went seeking new opportunities, adventure, freedom from tenant farming (serfdom), and in some cases the freedom to practice the religion of their choice. What they found was a beautiful, bountiful land that was perfect for farming and raising their families. The local Micmac Indians were generally friendly and helpful to these intrepid settlers as they faced initial hardship and struggled to set up their new colony. What they didn’t bargain on was their new land becoming a political football for the two great superpowers of the time; England and France. This book principally follows the fortunes of the Aucoin family from the early 1600s through to the present day.

The story of the Acadians was a revelation to me. Author Samuel Andre Aucoin has a deeply personal investment in this narrative as he can trace his roots right back to those very first Acadian settlers and credit must be given to the telling of not only his family’s story but the resolute, courageous, and honorable history of the Acadian people. I particularly appreciated that the author pulled no punches in describing the callousness and arrogance of English governors and their minions. When the English decided to ethnically cleanse Nova Scotia of Acadians, their methods were not only brutal but callous, with many thousands dying during their journeys south. Once they arrived in the southern colonies, not only were the people unaware they were coming, but didn’t want them there. It was heartbreaking and reflected no honor on the English. It is easy to see why the Acadians’ favorite saying was “the damn English.” It is also interesting to note that even after several centuries, when young Acadians were tasked to fight on behalf of Britain in two World Wars, they were reluctant, to say the least. This is a top-notch read and one in which I learned so much about a group of people and the historical injustices that were visited upon them. This is exactly the type of historical fiction I adore and I cannot recommend this book highly enough.