Book Description
Despite his fear of flying and his distaste for speed, Timothy Findley was a travelerembarking on trips to write, to read, to speak and to enjoy. Many of his journeys involved a unique vehicle, Tiffs own imaginationa magic carpet that transports his readers into his unforgettable stories.
Journeyman is a collection of the voyages that informed and shaped what, and how, Timothy Findley wrote. Lovingly compiled and annotated by Bill Whitehead, Findleys life partner, Journeyman is a combination of journal entries, speeches, letters, poems, anecdotes, and excerpts from plays. The first of four sections, Going Places, chronicles excursions made by land, water and air: a comical tribute to Tiff and Bills first car, a sagegreen Valiant; a surreal trip to Australia, where novelist Ken Kesey continued his pub reading despite a fist fight next door; and a Thanksgiving prayer written after September 11, 2001. From Past Imperfect to Future Tense is a time-travel flight through memory and imagination. Readers will meet a few of Tiffs ancestors, including Uncle Frank Bull, who transformed himself into Maestro Francois von Buell to escape the stifling bonds of Methodist Upper Canadian society. Pen Power is all about writers and writing, and Theatre Tours and Final Curtain takes us on an insiders tour of Tiffs favorite world. The book ends with Tiffs last written words, three poignant final lines of a one-act play.
Journeyman is a lasting gift from Timothy Findley to all of his many fans.
About the Author
Timothy Findley was one of Canadas most compelling and best loved writers, from the publication of his first novel in 1967 until his death in June 2002. His acclaimed novels include
Spadework, Pilgrim, The Piano Mans Daughter, Headhunter, Not Wanted on the Voyage, Famous Last Words and
The Wars. Findley was a two-time winner of the Governor Generals Award:
The Wars won the 1977 award for fiction;
Elizabeth Rex, a play, won the 2000 award for drama. The recipient of many accolades for his fiction, non-fiction and drama, including the Chalmers Award and the Edgar Award, Findley was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, and a Chevalier de lOrdre des Arts et des Lettres in France.