Get your meter runnin’

Have you ever wondered what would happen if Dave Barry wrote a Lonely Planet travel book? Neither had I until I read Does Your Meter Work?!, a collection of essays on travel, culture, and life by Edmonton author Jim Soliski.

What sets Does Your Meter Work?! apart from the vast majority of travel books is Soliski, a freelance writer and teacher whose exploits while wandering the world are distilled into this series of stories. Without him, it could easily degenerate into a how-to guide; with him at the helm, however, it’s a delightful journey into exotic places as well as the mind of someone who truly, madly and deeply loves to globetrot.

The title refers to Soliski’s frustration trying to find an honest cabbie in Manila. Like many of the other essays, the opener is short, informative, and funny. Others, such as his descriptions of prostitution in Saigon, are poignant while still others, such as a brief affair in Hanoi, will touch your heart as deftly as Nicholas Sparks himself. Some are simply Lonely Planet-style guides for tourists. Like life, you never quite know what the next chapter will bring. A warning to more delicate readers: Life in some parts of Asia is far different from our own and Soliski tells it like it is.

The format also lends itself to easy reading. Most of the stories can be read in under 15 minutes, so you can pick up the book and put it down without fear of losing the thread of the narrative. Soliski’s style is punchy, concise and never boring. He’s a born writer and I can’t figure out why a major publishing house hasn’t snapped him up yet.

It all adds up to a package well worth the $17.95. Anyone who travels, whether as a seasoned backpacker or a tacky tourist, would appreciate a copy of Does Your Meter Work?! under the Christmas tree. The book is available at Chapters and Adam’s Book Corner downtown.

Scott Sakatch
Lethbridge Herald
December 18th, 2004