Re Harvey Currell

Harvey Currell, one of the many Sun vets who have quietly been put to pasture, ended his paid Tely/Sun country travels two years ago after 49 years on the road.

Fans of his popular Wednesday Sun columns still ask whatever became of Harvey Currell?

Well, John Downing tells us today in his latest Downing's Views blog posting - and the update is all positive.

Currell, at 87, is the author of a new book called Byways and Bylines.

"I just visited my past," says Downing. "And Harvey Currell's book Byways and Bylines also gave me some ideas for weekend jaunts, which he did for many Torontonians for 49 years.

"Of course I'm prejudiced, having worked and yarned with Harvey since 1958, when I was a kid reporter and he was the Suburban Editor of the Toronto Telegram who didn't think I had done that great a job transcribing a story from one of his staffers."

Currell had a strong connect with Sun readers as he wrote about Ontario's small towns and villages, well off the main highways. You never knew where he would surface.

Fading clippings of Currell's columns can be found on the walls of country bakeries and other businesses he wrote about and proprietors still talk about his visit in great detail.

Downing wrote the liner notes for the back of Currell's new book, repeating what he wrote in 2003, when he and Currell were Toronto Sun "columnist colleagues."

He notes that Currell's first column appeared in the Toronto Telegram in 1958, making his book a journey just over half a century in the making.

The book includes 32 updated travel stories, memories of his army years and other tales from his 87 eventful years.

Downing's blog has much more to say on the book and Currell's newspaper years, from Toronto Star and Telegram delivery boy to veteran columnist/author.

Meanwhile, the $20 book would be the perfect stocking stuffer for armchair travellers.

Downing says you can find the book at The Bookmark, 2964 Bloor St. W. (416-233-2191), or you can phone Harvey at 416-621-2451, if he's not on the road to somewhere.

(Photo courtesy of John Macfie, North Star Publishing, Parry Sound)