Will Ferguson, two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, is an inveterate traveller. Over the past three years, he has been clear cross Canada and back again. In a helicopter above the barren lands of the sub-Ardtic. On a tundra buggy in the polar bear migration paths of Hudson Bay. In a canoe in northern Ontario with his four-year-old son. Funny, poignant and insightful. Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw is a heartfelt tribute to our quirky and fascinating country. (from the back cover)
Why did I choose to read this book?
I’m a fan of the author—Will Ferguson, and, no, not simply
because he won the Giller (for his most recent book 419). No, I was a fan way
before that. I became a fan after reading his second book: I Was A Teenage Katima-Victim!
I found that book, years ago, while shopping with my dad.
“I think you should write a book about your experiences in
Katimavik.” Dad walked forward two steps, removed a book from the shelf and
handed it to me. “A book like this one.”
The cover of I Was… claims that, ‘You’ll laugh! You’ll cry!
You’ll swoon.” And I did all of that. And that’s how I became a fan—and some
day I’ll rave about it, but not today. Today I’ll rave about—Beauty Tips from
Moose Jaw.
Playing two roles—tour guide and historian—Will Ferguson
proves that Canada was never boring, then nor now.
Being a relatively recent transplant to B.C. and knowing very
little about the capital or the history of the province, I found the first
chapter fascinating.
In chapter two, Will…um…er…Mr. Ferguson refers to his time
in Katimavik.
A favourite quote…
‘[I]n my experience people never really travel to find
themselves. They travel to lose themselves. To leave something behind; some
part of them.’ [p. 67]
I laughed out loud for at least a minute after reading page
seventy-four. Will you?
‘There is an ache—deeper than nostalgia, stronger than
regret—that underscores the Canadian experience and informs so much of our
immigrant past. It is the dream of escape, the dream of flight. Of return.’ (p.
98) This is how Mr. Ferguson introduces the story of Tom Sukanen—a Finnish
immigrate who built a ship in the middle of Saskatchewan. He wanted to sail
back to Finland. I remember hearing about Tom Sukanen when I was in my early
twenties. I remember thinking that he must have been nuts. Yet the Tom Sukanen
that Mr. Ferguson introduces us to isn’t crazy. No. He’s a strong man with a
single-minded determination to return home.
My favourite quote from chapter three is…
‘Jackie Schollie…is our designated ‘polar bear monitor’. I
have to admit, Jackie’s title makes me jumpy…as in, “Here comes the polar bear.
And there goes Mr. Ferguson. The bear has now caught up to Mr. Ferguson and
appears to be eating him. We will continue to monitor this situation as it
unfolds.” ‘ (p. 112-113)
As I reached the end of the book, I surface like a swimmer
not wanting to leave the water.
On page 321 Mr. Ferguson asks, ‘Can you miss a place before
you leave it? Can you feel homesick for a city that isn’t your home? That is
how I feel. I miss St. John’s [Newfoundland] and I have not yet gone. I’m
homesick, and this is not my home.’
I lived in Newfoundland for three months, when I was twenty.
And this is exactly how I felt. Like drinking a glass of water, Newfoundland
became a part of me—and it still is.
***
Sharing my author journey...
I meet with my (the collective 'my') writing group last week. And as it was our last meeting before our two month (July and August) hiatus, I thought I'd offer some words of encouragement to a member who'd just started sharing her work. Well, the words I offered stayed with me. I wondered why. Then I turned my message inward. Was I sharing my work as much as I could? (gulp) Nope. So this week I pulled up my socks (It's summer. I'm not wearing socks. But you know what I mean.) and submitted my work to literary journals. Four submissions are winging--one by email, the rest by post--their way to slush piles. I personally think I've won simply by playing but there may be more to this story. If there is you'll be one of the first to know.
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Next post:
Please welcome author Joyce T. Strand (mystery author)
