Foreign Correspondences: A Traveller's Tales

by Lesley Krueger

Lesley Krueger started travelling on her own as soon as she could. Propelling her was the knowledge that her two immigrant grandmothers had never felt at home in the New World. They remained foreigners in places that often baffled them. What was that like?

In this travel memoir, Krueger weaves her own stories of life abroad together with her grandmothers’ tales, exploring the idea of home and away. Expatriation, the nature of being foreign, the importance of feeling part of a community: these things become crucial as she travels through India, Brazil, Mexico, Japan and both the U.S. and Canada.

Sometimes things get funny: spending the night in a cheap hotel that proves to be a small-town brothel. Sometimes she meets danger: jaguar poachers in Brazil. Then there’s the time she finds herself on a Twin Otter flying through a storm in Labrador, and discovers the reason the plywood floor has holes in it.

Some people say we displace ourselves not to find what we’re looking for, but to find out what is it we’re looking for. Whatever the reason, it’s visceral. We say we push off, hit the road, pull up roots, take off. Hit, pull, take, push—potent verbs, gut expressions.

Birth is like that, a push from the gut. Fascinating, when you consider the New World obsession with being born again. Lesley’s grandmothers never were. Except, perhaps, in these searching words.

ebook

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Lesley Krueger's latest novel, Far Creek Road, is now out from ECW Press. Sheila Murray, author of Finding Edward, calls it "masterful."

According to a starred review in the Mirimachi Reader, "Far Creek Road is a wonderfully written novel, with full and rich characters, a delightful narrator, and very much the adult version of those Judy Blume stories we loved as kids. I was sucked into this novel right away, and Krueger’s ability to immerse me inside of Tink’s mind was impressive."

Lesley's previous novel, Time Squared, was published in September 2021 -- a time travelling look at the role of women through the ages. Says critic Kerry Clare, "I’ll dive right in and tell you that the novel, Time Squared by Lesley Krueger, which I’ve loved more than I’ve loved than any book I’ve read in ages."

Lesley is the author of four previous novels, a travel memoir and two books of short stories, as well as a novel for children aged ten and up. She lives in Toronto with her husband and their elderly cat, Archie.

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Karli - check out this author. Does any of the books interest you? This one sounds like it might be a good one. I have it and 2 others from the same author on my 'to read list.' D

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun little kindle book about this lady's travels around the world. Plus, she talked about her family and a little about her family's history. There was a Mormon wedding at the end of the book. Some of the facts are a little messed up, but it was mostly right. And the church's name is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

[judy m · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a very convoluted mess of a book. The author jumped from one subject to another and sometimes back to the original subject. I found it hard to follow and found myself skimming much of it. There were a few semi-interesting stories but not really something I would recommend.