Both a study of the emergence of a character's true self through his homosexual experiences and the decay of Canadian, and especially French-Canadian, traditions, "Place d'Armes" was named one of the top 100 most important books in Canadian history.

Scott Symons (1933-2009) scandalized Toronto in 1967 when he abandoned his wife and son to embrace an openly gay lifestyle with his teenage lover. His other works include the novels Civic Square (1969) and Helmet of Flesh (1986) and the non-fiction book Heritage: A Romantic Look at Early Canadian Furniture (1971).

Christopher Elson is the vice-president of the University of King's College in Halifax and also serves as an associate professor of French and Canadian studies in the King's-Dalhousie Joint Faculty. He is the editor of the book Dear Reader: Selected Scott Symons.