Half-finished notes, scrawled snippets of conversation, observations made on the run, photographs of people known and unknown, scraps of paper with puzzling sketches on them, receipts, matchpacks, postcards, and other assorted paraphernalia — have all ended up in a Peek Frean's tin biscuit box.
For nearly 40 years, Jim Christy has thrown — willynilly, and with neither rhyme nor reason — such seemingly random items into the box.
There has been absolutely no system to it; maybe, the author says, "I thought 'I'll pay more attention to this later' or, perhaps, 'I've got to check that one out some day...give it the attention it deserves.' "
Since Christy is a restless traveller, investigative journalist and raconteur, many of these items have rich and alluring stories attached to them. The Peek Frean's biscuit box has provided the essential ingredients for a fascinating assortment of highly entertaining anecdotal tales.
Jim will present Aug. 9 at the Courtenay Library from 2 to 3 p.m.
Christy is a writer, artist, and tireless traveller. The author of more than 20 books, including poetry, short stories, novels, travel, and biography, his travels have taken him from the Yukon to the Amazon, Greenland to Cambodia. He has covered wars and exhibited his art internationally.
Raised in inner city Philadelphia, he moved to Toronto when he was 23 years old and became a Canadian citizen at the first opportunity.
His most recent books are the novel, Nine O'Clock Gun and the poetry title, Marimba Forever. A resident of British Columbia's Sunshine Coast and Salt Spring Island, he resides in the township of Stirling-Rawdon, Ont.
Anvil Press gratefully acknowledges the financial assistance of the Canada Council for the Arts Author Promotion Tours program.
— Anvil Press