# Canadian Dopers - recommend a funny history/travel book about your country! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 19, 2006, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-recommend-a-funny-history-travel-book-about-your-country/361259 "2006-06-19T05:31:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-recommend-a-funny-history-travel-book-about-your-country/361259/1 "2006-06-19T05:31:46Z")
I discovered the great Bill Bryson from his writing on the English language. I tried reading some William Safire and it didn’t do it for me. However, Bryson’s wit and wisdom clicked with me, and I’ve become a voracious reader. Favorite book of his is probably _Notes From a Small Island_ - for an American who spent a lot of time in the UK, it just resonated with me. His travel books are brilliant, and really draw you into the culture and history of a place. And he’s funny, laugh-out-loud funny… So, as we prepare for our annual trip - which will be to Toronto, Niagara Falls, Montreal, and Quebec City - and I thought that I would love to read a Bryson-esque survey of the history and culture of the places I’m visiting. More importantly, even though I visit Canada fairly often, I’m also pretty ignorant about our neighbour to the north. Can Canadopers, or any dopers for that matter, steer me to a good book or two that might enhance my travels? It will also likely be my summer read, so bring your best stuff! ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-dopers-recommend-a-funny-history-travel-book-about-your-country/361259/2 "2006-06-19T05:36:28Z")
There’s Will Ferguson’s Beauty Tips From Moose Jaw, although it doesn’t really go into the spots you’re visiting. It is however, an amusing, Bryson-esque read about a lot of spots across Canada.