John Jones

John Jones is the bestselling author of a series of travel books best known for their stylistic blending of humor and musical references. Though born a Canadian, Jones is in every way a citizen of the world, claiming to not have spent more than a full week straight at his apartment in Toronto since the late 90's. Jones first developed his wanderlust as a child when his father, a roadie for Neil Young, The Band and other stalwarts of the late 70's rock scene would take his young son with him on...See more

John Jones is the bestselling author of a series of travel books best known for their stylistic blending of humor and musical references. Though born a Canadian, Jones is in every way a citizen of the world, claiming to not have spent more than a full week straight at his apartment in Toronto since the late 90's. Jones first developed his wanderlust as a child when his father, a roadie for Neil Young, The Band and other stalwarts of the late 70's rock scene would take his young son with him on trips following the death of his mother. Seeing the American landscape through the windows of tour buses left an indelible mark on the young Jones, and he began journaling about the sights he'd see, not knowing that his scribblings in composition notebooks would eventually lead to a career. As he entered his twenties, Jones attempted to hold down several desks jobs but continually found himself feeling restless when staying in one place for too long, and eventually found work writing freelance travel pieces for various small publications. Many of these essays were included in his debut travel volume, I'm Not From Around Here: An Outsider's Guide to America published in 1994. The book, which earned Jones a cult following, was followed up by the equally successful Gonna Need a Bigger Coat, highlighting several trips through some of the world's coldest climates during their winter months. The success of both books allowed Jones to make travel his full-time job. Jones' writing is noted for it's tone of voice which somehow blends a fish out of water feel with his honed skill for adapting to the cultures of a given area. Readers often marvel at how the author is able to make them feel as if they are sitting right next to him, whether it's on the Trans-Siberian railway or the back of a donkey heading up the Andes Mountains. Unable to distance himself from his musical heritage, Jones is well known for including his personal playlists in his writing, recommending songs for readers to listen to along with a given chapter or section, or citing a specific track during his descriptions of landscapes. While several hollywood studios have optioned his writings for film adaptations, fans often joke that the reason none have been filmed yet is because no one could afford all the music rights. Jones is currently set to publish his 25th book, I Am From Around Here, his first book to exclusively cover his Canadian homeland. See less