Paul Theroux, who is about to publish his 12th travel book at the age of 85, True North: On the Road in Canada (Hamish Hamilton, £22, October 29), talked to Simon Kuper in the FTWeekend about how his work, the genre and travel itself have changed in his era. “I’m not an angry old man,” he said. I just feel very lucky that I still can travel alone, drive. I still feel vital. I was paddling my kayak the day before yesterday, and I’m thinking, ‘Well, I’m paddling here. No one else is paddling.’”