Far and away: a prize every time

317 Pages·2011·10.983 MB·English

by  Peart, Neil

“The old-time serialized novel occurred to me as one
way to describe the nature of these stories—a serialized
autobiography, perhaps, though not recollected in one’s
dusty old age, but captured along the way. By design,
these stories are not an attempt to list the facts and
incidents of my life, like diary entries. My inspiration
always comes from the world around me, driven by the
recurring thought, “How can I put this into words?” I am
more interested in describing what I do and see, how it
makes me feel, and sharing it with the reader—almost
like a personal letter, with more time spent on the craft.
So it’s a book of letters, and a serial memoir, and a
travel book that includes motorcycling, drumming,
snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, natural history,
human history, birdwatching, hiking, driving, church
signs, amateur philosophy, and . . . pretty much
everything.”
(From the introduction)
ECW Press
$29.95 U.S. $32.95 CAN

FAR AWAY
D
N
A
A PRIZE EVERY TIME

FAR AWAY
D
N
A
A PRIZE EVERY TIME
NEIL PEART
ECW Press
Copyright © Neil Peart, 2011
Published by ECW Press
2120 Queen Street East, Suite 200, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4E 1E2
416-694-3348 / [email protected]
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any process — electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise — without the prior written
permission of the copyright owners and ECW Press. The scanning, uploading, and
distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the
permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only
authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic
piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
All photos copyright Neil Peart, with the exception of those noted on page 297.
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Peart, Neil
Far and away : a prize every time / Neil Peart.
ISBN 978-1-77041-058-9 (bound) — ISBN 978-1-77041-059-6 (pbk.)
Also issued as: 978-1-77090-020-2 (PDF); 978-1-77090-021-9 (EPUB)
1. Peart, Neil—Travel. 2. Motorcycling—North America.
3. Motorcycling—Europe. 4. Drummers (Musicians)—Canada—
Biography. 5. Lyricists—Canada—Biography. 6. Rush (Musical
group). I. Title.
ML419.362A3 2011 786.9'166092 C2011-900515-8
Far and away : a prize every time / Neil Peart. — Limited ed.
ISBN 978-1-77041-064-0 (bound)
ML419.362A3 2011a 786.9'166092 C2011-901104-2
Cover design: Hugh Syme
Text design and typesetting: Tania Craan
Editor: Paul McCarthy
Editor for the press: Jennifer Knoch
Proofreader: Crissy Boylan
Producer: Jack David
Production: Troy Cunningham
Printing: Friesens 1 2 3 4 5
The publication of Far and Awayhas been generously supported by the
Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $20.1 million in
writing and publishing throughout Canada, by the Ontario Arts Council,
by the OMDC Book Fund, an initiative of the Ontario Media Development
Corporation, and by the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund.
PRINTEDANDBOUNDINCANADA
To Olivia
Who makes my heart three sizes bigger
Table of Contents
INTRO: A PRIZE EVERY TIME ix
1
THAT’S THE WAY WE ROLL 1
JULY 2007
2
EVERY ROAD HAS ITS TOLL 9
AUGUST 2007
3
SHUNPIKIN’ IT OLD SKOOL 20
SEPTEMBER 2007
4
HASTE YE BACK 28
NOVEMBER 2007
5
THE HOUR OF ARRIVING 41
DECEMBER 2007
6
THE BEST FEBRUARY EVER 52
MARCH 2008
7
SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST 61
MAY 2008
8
WHEN THE ROAD ENDS 73
JUNE 2008
9
INDEPENDENCE DAY 84
JULY 2008
10
THE DRUMS OF OCTOBER 97
NOVEMBER 2008
11
DECEMBER IN DEATH VALLEY 110
DECEMBER 2008
12
A WINTER’S TALE OF SUMMERS PAST 125
FEBRUARY 2009
13
THE QUEST FOR THE PHANTOM TOWER 139
MARCH 2009
14
UNDER THE MARINE LAYER 155
JUNE 2009
15
A LITTLE YELLOW CABIN ON YELLOWSTONE LAKE 168
AUGUST 2009
16
THE BALLAD OF LARRY AND SUZY 192
SEPTEMBER 2009
17
AUTUMN SERENADE 202
NOVEMBER 2009
18
FIRE ON ICE 212
FEBRUARY 2010
19
TIME MACHINES 227
MAY 2010
20
THEME AND VARIATIONS 238
AUGUST 2010
21
CRUEL SUMMER 252
SEPTEMBER 2010
22
THE POWER OF MAGICAL THINKING 272
NOVEMBER 2010
OUTRO: THE PRIZE 293