As Jay Nordlinger writes in his foreword to History Writ Small: Exploring Its Nooks and Crannies by Barge, Boat, and Balloon, "Priscilla Buckley writes who she is. That is, her writing is graceful, lovely, intelligent, learned, amusing, assured, civilized--you get the picture. " Here's just a taste of the kind of beautiful writing you will find in this charming new book:
Michel calls to the crowd that has gathered. "Alors! We need your help!" And soon, a dozen or more people are pulling on the ropes. And they bring us to a halt three feet from the barbed wire fence that marks the end of the field. The four Atkinsons get out at Michel's order, but Jane and I remain aboard as ballast. A blast from the burner, and we lift a bit, away from the dangerous fence. Another two blasts, and we are safe. The balloon pulls the basket over--a layover, they call it--and Jane and I, flat on our backs for a moment, find slithering out on the whole easier than climbing out, if less dignified. Michel kisses the ladies on both cheeks, comme ci, right cheek, comme ça, left cheek, and shakes Jack's and young Greg's hands. We've covered an estimated 25 kilometers in just over two hours--Santé! everyone.
And so the flights go, each different. We might have Buddy playing games--brushing through the treetops, putting down on the still waters of a lake or pond--or Michel swooping low over a village and calling out to a family having its summer dinner in the garden: "Bon appétit!" or, "La belle brune!" in salute to the handsome mother of the family. Children in pyjamas, waving from attic windows: "Where are you going?" they call, and Jane calls back, "Wherever the wind takes us." "Come back," they plead, but come back we cannot. The wind says no.
Priscilla Buckley is one of the most beloved writers to have graced the pages of National Review. Whether from the edge of a balloon wicker basket or the narrow deck of a canal boat, Priscilla Buckley amuses, entertains, and informs in this charming travel memoir.
