Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on
bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
True North
by Lawrence Millman (Introduction), Elliott Merrick
Merrick's 1933 ode to Labrador, a warmly detailed, affectionate account of abandoning city life for the wilderness, his experiences living and working with trappers and settlers, and the nurse he met and married.
Cod, A Biography of a Fish That Changed the World
by Mark Kurlansky
A sparkling extended essay on the cod, looking at the importance of the fish to cuisine and history, as well as to Scandinavian, American and Canadian commerce.
Sweetland
by Michael Crummey
Facing the prospect of losing his land, the fierce, enigmatic Moses Sweetland recalls stories about his home, a village founded by his ancestors on a storm-battered island in Newfoundland.
The Boat Who Wouldn't Float
by Farley Mowat
A laugh-out-loud account of Mowat's determination to refurbish and sail a clunky old boat in the not-always-forgiving waters of Newfoundland.
The Bird Artist
by Howard Norman
Memorably set in a remote coastal village in 1911, this vivid book is the tale of an odd local man who murdered the lighthouse keeper. It's as much about human character and motivation as it is about Newfoundland.
Sylvanus Now
by Donna Morrissey
Morisette writes with authority of the struggles of cod fishermen and their families in a remote coastal village in the 1950s in this third novel of maritime Newfoundland.
A Traveller's History of Canada
by Robert Bothwell
A readable and admirably concise march through Canadian history from prehistory to today, including a timeline.
The Day the World Came to Town, 9/11 In Gander, Newfoundland
by Jim Defede
When thirty-eight jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland, on September 11, 2001, due to the closing of United States airspace, the citizens of this small community were called upon to come to the aid of more than six thousand displaced travelers.
The Far Traveler, Voyages of a Viking Woman
by Nancy Marie Brown
Brown's intriguing account of the life of the young Viking woman Gudrid sheds light on early Norse settlements in Iceland, Newfoundland and beyond. It's an archaeological mystery, a history of ancient seamanship and a biography all rolled into one.
Theatre of Fish, Travels Through Newfoundland and Labrador
by John Gimlette
A rollicking account of Gimlette's adventures in Newfoundland and Labrador on the trail of a great-great grandfather. It's a witty tale, soaked in fishy history, myth, lore and incident.
Vikings, The North Atlantic Saga
by William Fitzhugh (Editor), Elisabeth Ward (Editor)
An extensively illustrated volume of Viking culture, history and exploration that focuses especially on voyages to North America. Published in conjunction with a Smithsonian exhibit, it features essays and 400 color photographs.
The Atlantic Coast, A Natural History
by Harry Thurston
Thurston illuminates the geology, plant and animal life and nature of the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland and Labrador through the Maritime Provinces and the Northeastern United States south to Cape Hatteras in this illustrated, engaging survey.
This Marvellous Terrible Place, Images of Newfoundland and Labrador
by Yva Momatiuk, John Eastcott
This portrait of Newfoundland, compiled by two accomplished photojournalists, combines color photographs and oral histories of the area.
Island, The Complete Stories
by Alistair MacLeod
Raised in Cape Breton, Alistair MacLeod writes of family, the pull of old Gaelic traditions, love and the landscape and folkways of Nova Scotia in this collection of 16 stories. Winner of the Pen/Malamud Award.
A Field Guide to North Atlantic Wildlife
by Noble S. Proctor, Patrick J. Lynch (Illustrator)
A comprehensive pocket guide to commonly encountered marine mammals, seabirds and other marine life of Northeastern North America, from North Carolina to Newfoundland and the Canadian Maritimes.
Baltimore's Mansion
by Wayne Johnston
A memoir and history of the author's family in remote coastal Newfoundland, including his father's days as a codfish-taster.