Laurence Mackinreviews Travel Writingand Lonely Planet: Canada
Travel WritingPeter Ferry Chatto Windus, £12.99
Peter Ferry is a teacher and part-time travel writer who witnesses a fatal road accident that he becomes convinced he could and should have prevented. He then becomes drawn into the victim's world and reconstructs their last few weeks at the expense of his own working life and relationships. What begins as a contemporary story rapidly unfolds to reveal much more intricate machinery at work. The main plot is interspersed with examples of Ferry's travel writing, which eschew the regular procession from hotel to destination and are almost uncomfortably personal. It's a style that proves very effective, and you can expect to see it replicated by other writers. Ferry's book comes with an endorsement from Dave Eggers, which is a natural fit: he has all the hallmarks of the current crop of new American writing that blends intense personal experience and indulgent self-analysis with wry self-awareness and dry, dark humour. This is terrific, tender, skilful stuff.
Lonely Planet: Canada£15.99
One of Ferry's best travel pieces is on a canoeing trip to the wilderness of Quetico, in Ontario, which his friend Tom Maury says is "the one thing I've ever done that wasn't over-rated". This guide has an extensive chapter on Ontario, which is home to destinations such as Niagara Falls, Thunder Bay, Lake Superior and Toronto. This guide covers all the major cities, but its heart seems to be in the wilder landscapes, and its sections on kayaking, snowboarding and hiking will give you plenty to plan the perfect activity holiday around.