Adam Shoalts speaks about his book at Second Wedge Brewery in Uxbridge.

As he sat on a bar stool at one end of the Second Wedge brewery, a few nights ago, talking about his latest book, I got the sense Adam Shoalts was a different sort of author. Blue Heron Books had brought along piles of his book, A History of Canada in Ten Maps, to sell. And he seemed game to answer whatever questions either the host or audience threw at him. But when he was asked – in fun – whether he needed GPS to navigate his way to Uxbridge, he had a logical map-reader’s answer.

“I came from several hours north of here,” Shoalts admitted. “I didn’t use GPS. I just memorized all the highways and roads I’d need to take to get here, and I arrived within minutes of seven o’clock,” the time of his presentation. (more…)

At about 3 or 3:30 in the morning, one hardly expects anything very important to happen. After all, most civilized people are asleep in their beds at that hour. But last Tuesday night, I didn’t have any choice. I had to drive a long distance – between Winnipeg and Saskatoon – to arrive in time for a media appointment the next morning.

As I drove my car rental late that night, I suddenly became aware that the sky was growing brighter in the wrong place. Not behind me to the East where the sun would be rising in a couple of hours, but to the North. I dimmed the lights on the console of the car and peered off to my right.

“The Northern Lights,” I said to myself in a hushed tone, as if speaking the words aloud would scare them off. “Aurora borealis,” I added. (more…)

Ted Barris

author | journalist

Posts with the Google Maps tag

Finding the way without GPS

Surviving the night