This special issue, edited by Robert Barsky, aims to recall, assess and promulgate ideas of radicalism in the Americas, with a special focus on the particularities of Quebec. This issue focuses upon the idea of "America" as an absolute but unachievable objective, and therefore it contains some creative work that expresses ideals and dreams for worlds imagined in time, space and imagination. This issue is dedicated to the memory of Howard Zinn, with whom we communicated about the issue in the course of its preparation, and who died just as we were going to press. We deeply regret his passing.