The Sandcastle Diary portrays the author’s journey through life and the everlasting reflections of the heart. The poems illustrate deep emotions written in a thoughtfully artistic way with vibrant interpretations stemming from the complexity and simplicity of human beings. Challenging, thought-provoking, and moving, these poems were inspired by the author’s own life experiences. Each poem was created to encourage thoughts and understandings of spirituality, happiness, success, heartache, loneliness, love, judgment, and ultimately the concept of living a well-balanced life overall. With a fresh take on writing poetry, Louis-Philippe Hébert successfully demonstrates his creative talent and explores a wide range of emotions and perceptions, persuading us to examine the world we live in.

Mary the Life Saver is a poetry book that reveals passion, beauty, and the mystery of human spirituality while examining the sophisticated nature of our existence, which is often shrouded by the veil of ordinary life. It is an affectionate and touching story that brings the reader into the tender world of an 8-year-old girl. The book portrays the intricate connections between life and death in a wide array of emotions, which are expressed in a thoughtful and imaginative way with vibrant interpretations stemming from the complexity and simplicity of the human soul. Mary the Life Saver echoes the desire to search for a voice that is as curious as it is distinctive. The French-language edition of this book, Marie Réparatrice, won the 2015 Governor General’s Literary Award. 

In Mister Blackhurst, the author explores the essence of the human soul, questioning the circle of life and the mysteries beyond death. The poetry collection ominously begins as an isolated man regains consciousness on a hospital bed, but his world appears much different. He can no longer control his surroundings, and strange people enter and exit his room, collecting his belongings before they disappear. Seemingly trapped from within, Mister Blackhurst must learn to understand the complex nature of existence as he roams along the boundaries of life and death. Now, reality is more unpredictable than he could have ever imagined.

“This collection includes 12 poems that the author wrote directly in English. It is rare that francophone authors attempt the exercise of moving from one language to another. Louis-Philippe Hébert rose up to this challenge with brilliance.”

                                                                                                                    ~ LETTRES QUÉBÉCOISES