Around England with a Dog
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The story of two seasoned and intrepid Canadian travellers, Lesley and Linda Choyce, who embark on a new adventure with their West Highland terrier, Kelty.
Lesley Choyce is a 70-year-old year-round North Atlantic surfer, the godfather of transcendental wood-splitting, and the award-winning author of over 100 books. His wife, Linda, a former high school principal who has fearlessly commandeered knives from teenage malcontents, usually guides her husband away from quixotic quests, but she is fully on board for this one. As for Kelty, the couple’s West Highland terrier, he’s always ready to give up on chewing shoes and chasing pheasants for something more exciting.
For years, Lesley has been fascinated and perplexed by the tumultuous history of England, the inexplicable customs of the English, and the many paradoxes of the people, but also their indomitable spirit. If he were to continue to grow intellectually and spiritually, he was certain that the answers to the meaning of life were to be found in England. As their itinerary expands, Lesley and Linda will cross borders into Wales and Scotland as well.
Join the Choyces as they hurtle around the U.K. in search of history (all kinds), good food (mostly Indian), quirky destinations (the smaller and weirder the better), and places for the dog to pee. All while waiting for the imminent arrival of new grandchildren back home in Canada. Ever wondered what a Nova Scotian surfer/wood-splitter/Renaissance man/Westie owner thinks of the U.K.? Now you can find out.
Read a review from Miramichi Reader here.
Available Now:
Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
RECENT RELEASES
RECENT REVIEWS
"If you enjoy armchair escape and travel writing like that of Monisha Rajesh or Tony Hawks with a Brysn-esque view of the world, that being a fascination with all things British by someone from elsewhere, this book makes an enjoyable, satisfying read. It won't change the world. But of course that's not its objective. It's one traeler's take o experiencing some new places and things alongside othersall too familiar, witnessed with an open mind, unending wit, and an ease of descriptive, winsome wordplay. So remember to buckle up, keep the care on the left, and enjoy this welcoming ride. " ~Bill Arnott: The Miramichi Reader
". . . Broken Man on a Halifax Pier is a five-star read, and I am adding it to the 2020 longlist in the Fiction category for “The Very Best!” Book Awards." Read the full review by James Fisher for The Miramichi Reader here.
"Choyce has crafted an impressive novel about the power of the sea, the power of community and the power of memory. And he also happens to have told a fine love story." Read the full review by Douglas Gibson for Atlantic Books Today here.
" [Saltwater Chronicles provides] glimpses into the man’s heart and soul, and what we see is someone who is generous, loving and kind, and whose greatest wish is to leave the world a better place. . .We are fortunate and should be thankful that in 1978 Lesley Choyce chose to make Nova Scotia his home. " Read the full review by Ian Colford for the Miramichi Reader here.
ABOUT LESLEY
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Lesley Choyce is a novelist and poet living at Lawrencetown Beach, Nova Scotia. He is the author of 99 books for adults, teens and children. He teaches in the English Department and Transition Year Program at Dalhousie University. He is a year-round surfer and founding member of the 1990s spoken word rock band, The SurfPoets. Choyce also runs Pottersfield Press, a small literary publishing house and hosted the national TV show, Off The Page, for many years. His books have been translated into Spanish, French, German and Danish and he has been awarded the Dartmouth Book Award and the Ann Connor Brimer Award.
READ LESLEY'S BIBLIOGRAPHY
LESLEY IS THE RECIPIENT OF THE 2022 ATLANTIC LEGACY AWARD
READ LESLEY'S RECENT ARTICLE: Neil Peart was my friend and I was his first book publisher
READ A RECENT INTERVIEW WITH LESLEY: Keeping It "100": Teaching Fellow Lesley Choyce Publishes His 100th Book
Watch the short film: Winter Wave Riders
Surfing and Spirituality
Listen to Lesley Choyce and Father Donald Calloway's podcast on Surfing and Spirituality on CBC Tapestry
Choyce has a feeling for the young and dispossessed, for the terrible angst of adolescence and the rituals of rebellion.
The Globe and Mail
Nova Scotia's answer to the Renaissance man.
Peter Gzowski CBC Radio
