I have recently begun reading the rather entertaining book ‘The Global Soul’ by Pico Iyer and must say that I am rather impressed. The book focuses on the (fairly new) concept of displaced individuals who are unable to identify themselves with a certain place and locations that have become less and less identifiable to any particular region. ‘The Global Soul’ devotes entire chapters to exploring these relationships in a number of places including the LAX aiport, Atlanta (during the Olympics) and my current hometown of Toronto. The Toronto chapter is particularly intriguing as it discusses the status of Toronto as a multicultural hub and how it has become a destination where a number of people from around the world have found a home away from home. As someone who has lived in several different places within the last 5 years, the book does touch home ever so slightly. Most of all, however, ‘The Global Soul’ is a very enthralling read and one I would highly recommend to those interested in the relationship between people and place.
