The Quesnel Museum will be hosting author Susan Safyan as part of their Heritage Speakers Series, Aug. 9, 7 p.m. The presentation takes place in the council chambers at Quesnel City Hall. Susan Safyan will be reading from her new book, All Roads Lead to Wells: Stories of the Hippie Days.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s a small group of idealistic young women and men, self-described as “volunteer peasants,” moved to the tiny town of Wells, B.C. These hippies brought with them a Canadian version of the continent-wide back-to-the-land movement, the sexual revolution and the privilege of personal freedom. Safyan will recount the stories of these young settlers and their migration, their values, the unexpected friendships forged between the town’s old-timers and newcomers, and the inevitable clash—occasionally violent—of generations and cultures.
Built during the Depression, Wells nearly became a gold-mining ghost town, but thanks to the influence of the “back-to-the-landers” it has evolved into one of B.C.’s most renowned arts-based communities. All Roads Lead to Wells offers a new take on the Cariboo beyond gold and ranching.
Susan Safyan moved to Wells from Los Angeles in 1980 and lived there until 1985. She returns to visit her friends in Wells every year and has dedicated herself to collecting and preserving their stories. Books will be for sale and Susan will be happy to sign copies. Admission is by donation.