Skip to content

Castlegar valedictorian coauthors award-winning book

Craig Jones has won an award for his book on blues music
30758687_web1_221027-CAN-book-release_2
Castlegar native Craig Jones has coauthored an award-winning book. Photo: Submitted

A former Castlegar resident and Stanley Humphries Secondary School Valedictorian (Class of 1975) has coauthored an award-winning travel book.

Craig Jones and his wife, Josephine Matyas, have written Chasing the Blues: A Traveller’s Guide to America’s Music.

The book won bronze for best travel guidebook of 2022 for excellence in travel journalism from the Society for American Travel Writers.

The book is a blend of politics, history, music, and geography – and travel tips – the better to enable blues lovers to understand the nature and impact of this distinct cultural form which became the foundation for North American popular music.

Jones grew up in Kinnaird and worked at CKQR from 1971 until graduation.

Since leaving Castlegar in 1976, Jones completed a doctorate in international political economy at Queen’s University in Kingston – where he now lives and teaches – and has served as executive director of both the John Howard Society of Canada and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws in Canada.

Jones publishes mostly on social, health and criminal justice policy but collaborated with his travel-writing wife on Chasing the Blues.

The book is available in fine bookstores or online through Chapters, Indigo or Amazon.

Jones says he would love to hear from Castlegar friends at craig@craigjones.ca.

READ MORE: ‘Dove Spirit’ finds permanent home at Doukhobor Discovery Centre



newsroom@castlegarnews.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

30758687_web1_copy_221027-CAN-book-release_1