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Meanwhile, Back in Nokomis: Tales from Canada and Elsewhere
Will Ferguson recounts the small, revealing moments of a travel-writing career in this funny, eclectic collection of essays—and opinions—on Canada, the writing life and the world beyond.
From the Arctic Circle to the mud pools of New Zealand, Will Ferguson has spent a career chasing stories that reveal as much about Canada as they do about the world. Meanwhile, Back in Nokomis brings together his funniest, sharpest and most surprising adventures—collected here for the first time. Ferguson brings readers on a journey, from a tiny theatre town in rural Alberta to the haunted (and horse-grazed) shores of Sable Island off the coast of Nova Scotia. He weighs the benefits and drawbacks of the Confederation Bridge, wanders the jumbled cultural mixture of Montréal’s neighbourhoods and confronts his queasy relationship with Scottish whisky.
In between, Ferguson muses about the defining elements of Canadian culture and offers readers some writerly advice. He ponders the merits of selling out to advertisers, Canada’s national reputation for peacekeeping and the most frequently asked questions in literary interviews. He also offers his thoughts on the real questions: What’s the most Canadian condiment? The best contender for a national bird? And why didn’t he get the handyman gene? With his trademark humour and a sincere appreciation for Canada and beyond, Ferguson roams through a life of travel, writing and the moments in between from a distinctly Canadian point of view.
From the Arctic Circle to the mud pools of New Zealand, Will Ferguson has spent a career chasing stories that reveal as much about Canada as they do about the world. Meanwhile, Back in Nokomis brings together his funniest, sharpest and most surprising adventures—collected here for the first time. Ferguson brings readers on a journey, from a tiny theatre town in rural Alberta to the haunted (and horse-grazed) shores of Sable Island off the coast of Nova Scotia. He weighs the benefits and drawbacks of the Confederation Bridge, wanders the jumbled cultural mixture of Montréal’s neighbourhoods and confronts his queasy relationship with Scottish whisky.
In between, Ferguson muses about the defining elements of Canadian culture and offers readers some writerly advice. He ponders the merits of selling out to advertisers, Canada’s national reputation for peacekeeping and the most frequently asked questions in literary interviews. He also offers his thoughts on the real questions: What’s the most Canadian condiment? The best contender for a national bird? And why didn’t he get the handyman gene? With his trademark humour and a sincere appreciation for Canada and beyond, Ferguson roams through a life of travel, writing and the moments in between from a distinctly Canadian point of view.
- GenresTravelNonfiction
304 pages, Paperback
Published September 15, 2026
About the author
Will Ferguson
49 books566 followersWill Ferguson is an award-winning travel writer and novelist. His last work of fiction, 419, won the Scotiabank Giller Prize. He has won the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour a record-tying three times and has been nominated for both the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and a Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. His new novel, The Shoe on the Roof, will be released October 17, 2017. Visit him at WillFerguson.ca
Ferguson studied film production and screenwriting at York University in Toronto, graduating with a B.F.A. in 1990. He joined the Japan Exchange Teachers Programme (JET) soon after and spent five years in Asia. He married his wife Terumi in Kumamoto, Japan, in 1995. They now live in Calgary with their two sons. After coming back from Japan he experienced a reverse culture shock, which became the basis for his first book Why I Hate Canadians. With his brother, Ian Ferguson, he wrote the bestselling sequel How to be a Canadian. Ferguson details his experiences hitchhiking across Japan in Hokkaido Highway Blues (later retitled Hitching Rides with Buddha), his travels across Canada in Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw, and a journey through central Africa in Road Trip Rwanda. His debut novel, Happiness, was sold into 23 languages around the world. He has written for The New York Times, Esquire UK, and Canadian Geographic magazine.
Ferguson studied film production and screenwriting at York University in Toronto, graduating with a B.F.A. in 1990. He joined the Japan Exchange Teachers Programme (JET) soon after and spent five years in Asia. He married his wife Terumi in Kumamoto, Japan, in 1995. They now live in Calgary with their two sons. After coming back from Japan he experienced a reverse culture shock, which became the basis for his first book Why I Hate Canadians. With his brother, Ian Ferguson, he wrote the bestselling sequel How to be a Canadian. Ferguson details his experiences hitchhiking across Japan in Hokkaido Highway Blues (later retitled Hitching Rides with Buddha), his travels across Canada in Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw, and a journey through central Africa in Road Trip Rwanda. His debut novel, Happiness, was sold into 23 languages around the world. He has written for The New York Times, Esquire UK, and Canadian Geographic magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Review of advance copy
Looks like I get to be one of the first to review this gem, and I am happy to do so!
Will Ferguson's Meanwhile, Back in Nokomis is a bit of a time capsule on Ferguson's writing career. He treats to selections of his work from when he first started out, to more recent publications, to school addresses and unpublished work (after reading his take on Niagara Falls, I both understand and don't understand how this could not have been published). The collections spans multiple subjects, from travel stories in Canada or abroad, to interviews and thoughts on publishing, to slice of life moments. Each piece will make you smile like only Will Ferguson, and I left with new perspectives to ponder and new places for my bucket list. This collection is well worth your time, enjoy!
Will Ferguson's Meanwhile, Back in Nokomis is a bit of a time capsule on Ferguson's writing career. He treats to selections of his work from when he first started out, to more recent publications, to school addresses and unpublished work (after reading his take on Niagara Falls, I both understand and don't understand how this could not have been published). The collections spans multiple subjects, from travel stories in Canada or abroad, to interviews and thoughts on publishing, to slice of life moments. Each piece will make you smile like only Will Ferguson, and I left with new perspectives to ponder and new places for my bucket list. This collection is well worth your time, enjoy!
Review of advance copy
I am a big fan of Will’s travel writing, Beauty Tips from a Moose Jaw is an absolute gem, so was excited to read this collection of short articles published over his career. I was not disappointed with great stories about Canada and a few other countries. Lots of interesting facts and tidbits about some lesser known spots in Canada with a good amount of laughs along the way.
Also, this book is published I purchased at a bookstore in Diamond Valley, Alberta.
Also, this book is published I purchased at a bookstore in Diamond Valley, Alberta.
July 9, 2026
An entertaining and interesting book about Canada and being Canadian, from one man’s perspective.
Did Not Finish
July 26, 2026Not for me.
August 26, 2026
This is a pleasant little collection of writings on travel (mostly), which I would probably rate slightly higher if I hadn’t rushed to read the whole thing before my library checkout expired.
September 30, 2026
A wonderful collection of travel writing from a proud Canadian.
October 23, 2026
Charming but didn't feel like "Tales". I did learn that Canadians struggle to define their identity. Easy read but not particularly enightening or engaging as a story.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews