By Sarah Fletcher
After more than three decades as a woman most often alone in the wilderness, it might be hard to believe that Chris Czajkowski has a companion who has written about their time together.
But it is just that story which will be featured at the author’s book signing at the 100 Mile House Library on Wednesday, Nov. 1, featuring Chris and the tales of her companion, Harry – a wilderness dog.
Harry is following in the literary footsteps of his famous predecessor, Lonesome, the first of Chris’s extensive pack to put paw to paper in a memoir.
After penning memoirs of her own, Chris had always intended to write about Lonesome, whom in spite of spending her life in the wilderness with Chris did not much seem to enjoy the wilderness.
After starting on Lonesome’s tale a few times, Chris found it did not quite flow until she had the thought – “no, let her write it!”
And now, more than a decade after that success, Harry chronicles both the current life of Chris and her pack as well as filling the reader in on the saga of the wilderness dogs between Lonesome and Harry, via his packmate Badger.
After multiple decades of sharing her stories, Chris’s tales are compulsively readable, and having the recount in Harry’s voice is an enjoyable twist on the memoir.
Harry’s youth and enthusiasm shine through the novel, a process Chris compared to that of being on stage when compared to writing from her own point of view.
Harry’s favourite part of the writing process, she recounts, is “probably the treats that come after!”
As befitting the star of the show, he enjoys the adulation of his fans, and both Harry and Badger accompany Chris on this book tour.
It will be a change from a life that is often far off the beaten path, and even often lived in places inaccessible by mere vehicle.
While the experience of living in a truly remote wilderness is getting harder to come by, some vestiges of that feeling are available to readers through the eyes of Harry in a much more accessible format than that of committing to an off the grid adventure.
While life is often compared to an adventure, few are quite as adventuresome as Harry’s, and following along in his paws is a journey worth taking.
So far away from modern conveniences most of us enjoy without thought, including in some cases power and internet access, wildfire has been a dark companion for more than one of Harry’s summers.
While Chris recounts the “terrible anguish” of having to leave her home, not knowing if there would be anything to return to, the previous cases were “only 10 days.
Still terrible anguish, but only 10 days.
This summer was seven weeks.” The uncertainty and the discomfort of watching a smoke stack creep closer is something many 100 Mile House residents will relate to, though this summer’s wildfires did not make it into this book.
However, Chris suggests there’s already several chapters ready to add to their story, so this exceptional dog may have more to say about this exceptional summer.
Chris (and, librarians allowing, Harry) will be at the 100 Mile House Library for a slideshow, storytelling and book signing event at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 1.