In the last summer of the twentieth century a large man got into a small boat and went out to discover England. On its canals and rivers, from the Thames to the Trent, from Camden Lock to Skipton, David Aaronovitch fumbled for the pulse of the least-known nation in Britain. On his journey he encounters a variety of characters and situations. Death stalked him for the entire journey. After four days he gave up, and then began again. Among the towns and villages of England he encountered a selection of ghosts from the nation's past.
In the process he found out one or two useful things about himself. Hilarious, provocative, and moving, 'Paddling to Jerusalem' is the story of what happens when a bad idea gets the better of you and, in the process, becomes a very good idea indeed.
