Québec suited me just fine.
Well, hi there! How does one start with those things already? Oh, right, name and all that. Let me start again.
Hi! I’m Aaron. I’m French, from Dijon (yes like the mustard, yes I know where to get the best one, no I do not even like mustard), but before coming to Besançon I did all my higher education in english-speaking countries. I got a bachelor in History (with a focus on Antiquity and medieval Europe – do NOT ask me about anything past the 15th century) and Creative Writing from Concordia University, in Montréal. After a (depressingly COVID-themed) gap year, I went to Dublin and got myself a master’s degree in Children’s and Young Adult’s Literature from Dublin City University. In between then and now, I worked in a italian-themed restaurant, which qualifies me to say that if you do not have a passion for the food and service industry, it’s soul-sucking. Don’t do it kids.
I came to Besançon because this master unites two of the things that I love most: history and literature. The opportunity for the internships was a deciding factor for me as well. I wanted to be able to work doing this studying, and while I love academia dearly, I also wanted to see how to use my skills in active life. I am more of a librarian than bookseller (sorry Mr. Heyries) but I love getting to learn about every aspect of the rare book « industry ». Seeing the conservatory and archival practices as well as what a seller/auctioneer might look for and put forward is quite advantageous, giving me an all around perspective of everything that can encompass rare books in our modern days.
I think I’ll end there, it feels fitting. Thanks for reading!
