The Jesuit "Relations"
A Biography
The story of the Jesuit Relations from New France, from conception to reception.
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The Jesuit Relations, a series of annual reports produced between 1632 and 1673 detailing the experiences of Society of Jesus missionaries in what is now Eastern Canada, have long been an influential source on the history of New France and encounters between European settlers and Indigenous Peoples. The question of what exactly the Relations are, and who had a hand in composing the versions that circulated, has been given far less attention.
The Jesuit “Relations” challenges conventional descriptions of these annual reports as narratives crafted solely by Jesuit missionaries. Micah True demonstrates that they were in fact shaped by a diverse array of contributors, including Indigenous people, lay settlers, nuns, editors in Paris, and readers in France. The Relations were also the product of contextual factors, he explains, such as the longstanding Jesuit epistolary tradition, the annual rhythms of the shipping schedule, and the Parisian book trade, and he details the connections between the published Relations and other texts written at the time. Tracing the history of readers’ encounters with the Relations, True analyzes the three major editions that have appeared since the mid-nineteenth century, showing how each of them presents the reports differently, and how these differences have influenced scholars’ understanding of the texts.
Shining a new light on the Jesuit Relations, True reveals a richer and more complex picture of a primary source that has played a major role in public understanding of the colonial history of North America.
“This is a wonderful book filled with fascinating insights. Its nuanced, cool, and understated tone is distinctive and elegant. True provides a dizzying range of new ways to think about and appreciate the Relations as sources.” Emma Anderson, University of Ottawa
“True claims space for other voices in these documents that cannot be denied, but he does so with nuance that demonstrates his deep understanding of the texts. In his perceptive reading of the Relations, he will provide future scholars with many opportunities to seek new relationships among the actors in the mission to New France. It is a bright and readable book that makes a significant contribution to the historiography of the Jesuits and of Canada.” Journal of Jesuit Studies
“[The Jesuit Relations] is and will remain a fundamental addition to our knowledge and understanding of the Jesuit presence in early North America and of the texts they produced.” Canadian Historical Review
“True’s account is a welcome and revealing study of the complex interior life and legacy of the Jesuits’ annual reports in the seventeenth century. Researchers interested in the history of the book as well as the intellectual and literacy history of the early Atlantic world, with whom True engages meaningfully, will find his insights clear, compelling, and erudite.” American Historical Review
“Micah True has held himself to the highest standards of scholarly research and writing. Well-conceived, beautifully apportioned, and well executed, The Jesuit Relations deserves a wide readership: it is a wonderful book filled with fascinating insights. [It] is smoothly and clearly written, and its research is impeccable. Its cool, nuanced, and understated tone is distinctive and elegant.” Church History
“True’s monograph...offers a rich investigation into the production and reception of the Relations in the early modern period, showing how nineteenth-century collecting and editorial practices continue to shape our understanding today. His analysis prompts novel literary and historical insights into the colonial Americas, the early modern world, and Indigenous communities, offering a critical reexamination of their enduring legacies.” Early American Literature
“The author skillfully uses a full range of historical and literary tools to explore the pages of the Relations, leading the reader on an engaging journey through their creation, publication, and reception.” Sixteenth Century Journal
- Winner, Best Scholarly Book in Canadian History Prize, Canadian Historical Association 2026
- Short-listed, Grand Prix de l'Institut d'histoire de l'Amérique française 2026