John Payzant was born in Halifax Nova Scotia on Canada’s Atlantic coast. But, like so many Atlantic Canadians, he spent most of his working life in Toronto Ontario as an investment dealer on Bay Street, considered to be Canada’s version of Wall Street.

In 2004, he decided to trade in city life and move to the small town of Lunenburg near his birth city. Lunenburg’s historic waterfront is also on the Atlantic.

Since his city friends thought his decision eccentric, Payzant began to write short essays and letters about his experiences in Lunenburg. This book, Fish out of Water: How I Got Hooked on Lunenburg, is a collection of those writings.
Fish Out of Water for U.S. readers

Payzant and I have had many similar experiences. The pleasant culture shock of people who know who you are, are honest and friendly, and generally self-sufficient is illustrated in story after story.

The Christmas tree grower who cut down a tree to order and delivered it for the princely sum of twelve dollars, Linda at the local print shop who “exceeded customer’s expectation”, government bureaucracy “turned on its ear” by friendly & efficient staff, the lovely local paper: just a sampling of topics you’ll find.

If you’re interested in moving from city to country (and I assume you are because you’re on my blog), you’ll find Payzant’s book a charming introduction to Atlantic Canada and country–or at least small town–culture.

This is a stop on the Atlantic Canada Literary Road Trip.

[tags]John Payzant, Fish Out of Water, How I got Hooked on
Lunenburg, Lunenburg, moving from city to country[tags]