Family Without a Name
1889 novel about a family in the Lower Canada Rebellion.
Family Without a Name (French: Famille-sans-nom) is an 1889 adventure novel by Jules Verne. The story concerns a family in Lower Canada (present-day Quebec) during the Lower Canada Rebellion of 1837 and 1838, which sought an independent and democratic republic for Lower Canada. In the novel, the two sons of a traitor fight in the Rebellion to atone for their father's crime.
Quick Facts
- Title Orig
- Famille-sans-nom
- Author
- Jules Verne
- Illustrator
- Georges Tiret-Bognet
- Country
- France
- Language
- French
- Series
- The Extraordinary Voyages #33
- Genre
- Adventure novel
- Publisher
- Pierre-Jules Hetzel
- Release Date
- 1889
- Media Type
- Print (Hardback)
- Preceded By
- Two Years' Vacation
- Followed By
- The Purchase of the North Pole
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The novel was first published in the United States in 1889 by J.W. Lovell Co and by Munro, both under the title A Family Without a Name. The first UK edition followed in 1890 from Sampson Low. In 1963, an abridged version edited by I.O. Evans was released in two volumes as Leader of the Resistance and Into the Abyss. A new translation by Edward Baxter was published in Canada in 1982 by NC Press.
Reader's Guide
Family Without a Name is significant as one of Jules Verne's later adventure novels, set in a historical context of rebellion in Lower Canada. The 1978 edition from the French publisher Union générale d'éditions featured the cover line 'Pour un Québec libre' (For a Free Quebec), reflecting contemporary political currents a decade after Charles de Gaulle's Vive le Québec libre speech, two years after the first election of the Parti Québécois, and two years before the 1980 referendum on independence. The novel thus gained a symbolic role in Quebec's modern independence movement, though it was originally written as a historical adventure. Its legacy includes multiple editions and translations, as well as a place in discussions of Quebec's national identity.
Did You Know?
- The novel was first published in the United States in 1889 by two different publishers: J.W. Lovell Co and Munro.
- A 1963 abridged edition by I.O. Evans was split into two volumes titled Leader of the Resistance and Into the Abyss.
- The 1978 French edition displayed 'Pour un Québec libre' on its cover.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Family Without a Name?
It is an 1889 adventure novel by Jules Verne in which two brothers join the Lower Canada Rebellion of 1837–1838 to make amends for their father's betrayal.
Where and when is Family Without a Name set?
The action unfolds in Lower Canada (today's Quebec) during the 1837 and 1838 uprisings that sought to create an independent, democratic republic.
Who are the main characters in Family Without a Name?
The story centers on the two sons of a traitor, who take up arms in the rebellion specifically to atone for the crime their father committed against their community.
What historical event does Family Without a Name depict?
The novel is built around the real Lower Canada Rebellion of 1837–1838, a colonial uprising in which French-Canadian patriots fought for self-governance and a republic free from British control.
Why is the family called 'without a name'?
The title reflects the family's social erasure and disgrace after the father's act of treachery, leaving the sons to reclaim a sense of identity and honor through their service in the rebellion.
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