Moodie's Tale

Lynne Perras teaches communication arts in the Faculty of General
Studies at the University of Calgary.

Eric Wright, an author known chiefly for his crime writing, departs from
his usual genre in Moodie’s Tale, an engaging and satirical story of a
young academic who sets out to find the “real” Canada and ultimately
finds himself.

The protagonist, William Moodie, moves from a job as college instructor
to university president to wilderness and fishing guide. Through his
travels, he encounters a host of eccentric characters—from stuffy
intellectuals to rugged outdoorsmen—who add immense color and
hilarity. The novel is divided into three parts— teaching,
administration, and wilderness survival—and in each part, Moodie’s
adventures lead him to discover his place in the world. An epilogue and
postscript reveal the fates of the characters he encounters and provide
a satisfying conclusion.

Wright is most entertaining in sections one and two, where he captures
the essence of academia and its politics and personalities. This is not
surprising, considering that the novelist himself has taught
university-level English. Wright is slightly less skilled at conveying
the spirit of the outdoors, relying perhaps too much on detailed
technical descriptions. Nonetheless, Wright certainly succeeds in this
new literary form; Moodie’s Tale is witty, lively, engrossing,
enjoyable, and well worth reading.