Dildo, Newfoundland by K. Bruce Lane

A town built on fishing and whaling, the Trinity Bay community of Dildo, Newfoundland usually provokes a wide smile and a chuckle or two.   Though Dildo is one of the many Newfoundland place names that would make the heartiest of souls blush it is certainly not the only place name that would raise an eyebrow or two.  Ranking up there with other Newfoundland place names like Spread Eagle, Come By Chance and Blow Me Down, most community names are unusual monikers originating from early English and Irish seafaring terms or from early explorers that mapped our shores.  So, how did  Dildo get its name? Likely, as historically documented in 1711, it refers to the thole pin stuck in the edge of a boat to act as a pivot point for rowing but not everyone would agree and there does exist many colorful stories amongst local peoples about the namesake of this community.  One thing is true, though, and that is the fact that this picturesque little town will capture the heart of any and all who visit. Why else would American late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel declare Dildo as the sister city of Hollywood?  A leisurely perusal of K. Bruce Lane's book entitled Dildo, Newfoundland will show you why. 

Lane's book will take readers on a leisurely photographic tour of this quaint town located one hour west of the capital city of St. John's.  For the armchair tourist, this book is filled with bright colorful photos of the people and places that make Dildo famous, arranged in a softcover book that can be easily held. From pictures of the little dory's tied up to the wharf to the fish hung out to dry, readers will be transported to a quieter setting, free from the hustle and bustle of city life. Images are arranged singly, in couplets and some are single images displayed over a two page spread.   Photos of lobster pots waiting to be thrown into the water and cut wood readied for the upcoming winter offer a glimpse into the work life of the people of Dildo. One can almost hear the splash of the harbour water while fisherman gut their catch, the screeching of the hungry gulls overhead, and the banter of locals (and tourists alike) as life in this quintessential community unfolds before our very eyes.  I would be remiss if I did not mention the pictures of the boldly colored period houses characteristic of a bygone era.  These photos contrast beautifully with the more modern photos of the signage, restaurants and local watering holes typical of a vibrant, modern lifestyle.  Through well-curated images and interesting text detailing  historical information about Dildo,  K. Bruce Lane has done a superb job at portraying the simple life and times of a community that has gained international notoriety.  Dildo, Newfoundland is a wonderful coffee table album for any homesick Newfoundlander living away or for anyone who needs (dare I say?) a little Dildo in their life.

Dildo, Newfoundland is a Flanker Press publication. 

My Father's Son by Tom Moore

Felix Ryan, a middle aged high school teacher from Curlew, Conception Bay is facing the biggest battle of his life.  While attempting to stare down a serious mid-life crisis that leaves him questioning his entire existence, Felix receives a phone call from his ex-girlfriend Tammy to return home.  A big American oil company led by a larger than life Texan named John Baron and his cracker jack lawyer had begun purchasing land from the local residents with a plan to begin extracting oil from the ground.  As the town becomes divided over the potential new wealth a fracking operation would bring, Felix's aging and eccentric father embarks upon yet another crusade to reveal the truth about big business, religion and life.  As the battle lines are drawn, Felix is also confronted with the realities of his existence and unknowingly embarks upon his own crusade to take back his life.  My Father's Son is Tom Moore's sequel to the award winning The Sign On My Father's House. It is a story about the triumphs and tribulations of life and fighting for what you believe in.  

I rose from the table like a man rising from the grave.  I left the walls, the dust, the echoes behind, and I moved into a new dimension.

From the outset of the novel the reader quickly discovers that all is not well with the main character Felix.  Standing, both literally and figuratively, on a wet precipice atop Signal Hill on a wet day in St. John's is not typically where one would be standing especially when wearing black leather shoes, however, this is where the main character finds himself just like the icebergs making their way south, "on its journey from water to ice and back to water again".  The reader will come to appreciate these types of symbolic references that help to solidify the deeper meaning of an otherwise easy and entertaining read.  Punctuated throughout the narrative along with setting and plot details that are iconic to St. John's and outport life really makes this book appealing.  What Newfoundland Townie wouldn't know The Ship Inn, Soloman's Lane, Rocket Bakery and the Health Science Centre?  As the narrative moves to the small town of Curlew,  Moore invites the reader to bear witness to the soap opera-like antics of a small community that has become too familiar with itself.  From affairs, to secret pregnancies, abuse and even murder Felix is finally forced to confront the truths of his life and the reader takes guilty pleasure in becoming a part of it. 

In Curlew the past met the present: the old saltbox homes from the war years stood beside the new split levels of the 1970's.  Some of the older ones were abandoned or kept as summer homes by nostalgic offspring.  They mostly housed mice these days, and annual touch-ups were as much as they could expect.  Many of these annual repairs got lost in the world of good intentions.  Roofs leaked and eaves sagged in various degrees of neglect.  Some, well back from the road, had fallen in on themselves, desolate, slipping back into the invisible past. 

Author Tom Moore does a superb job at developing authentic characters, that are true to form, in the novel My Father's Son. The lovely Ellen Monteau (Felix's true love) is sharply contrasted with Tammy, the cigarette smoking, gum chewing woman that ends up capturing Felix's heart.  And of course this story simply would not exist without Father, Walter Ryan, always at the ready to fight a cause.  Everyone knows "a Walter" but it is his crusade and dynamic personality that drives this story, helps the reader to realize the importance of standing up for what is right and eventually shows Felix how to be the son is was destined to become.

"Then what is the answer for Curlew?  And for Newfoundland?"

"Paternalism is no good. It leads to people like your last speaker, Reverend Stone, who says, 'Turn over your lives to me and I'll save you.' John Baron has the same message. Give me your land and I'll save you. It's all the same scam." 

"But Mr. Baron built a big hotel and a huge church here in the town.  Isn't that a good thing?"

"No, it's not. People can be bribed with those things for a time.  But the shallowness of materialism, and religion, and paternalism only stifles growth. The individual must grow, but can't grow under the yoke of an oil baron, a fishing merchant, or a minister."  

My Father's Son by Tom Moore is a well written and enjoyable read.  It is entertaining and at times thought provoking. Though not required, a read of Moore's first novel The Sign On My Father's House will give the reader an excellent introduction to this great story. My Father's Son is a Flanker Press publication. 

 

 

Don't Be Talkin' ~ Recitations and Other Foolishness From Newfoundland and Labrador by Harry Ingram

My first encounter with a recitation was in a high school English class.  The teacher stood before the teenaged audience, and with a booming voice and exaggerated actions, engaged us with a spirited delivery of The Creation Of Sam McGee by Robert W. Service.  As the rhythmic pattern of the poem bounced along, the story of old Sam unfolded, leaving us completely spellbound and entranced.  And when the last line was spoken we were left speechless, some of us applauding for the rousing performance.  When I received my review copy of Don't Be Talkin' by Harry Ingram, I reflected back on this wonderful memory and immediately opened the book to have a read.  I was not disappointed.

Newfoundland and Labrador has been blessed with a distinct storytelling tradition. Such literary performances are woven into the cultural fibre of our province and have existed ever since the first European settlers came to our shores in the fifteenth century.  In fact it has been said that the unofficial history of Newfoundland lives in the songs, stories and recitations that can be heard in the kitchens of outport communities and upon the stages of organized events like the St. John's Storytelling Festival.  Though many of the old timers recite poems that shed light on days gone by, Harry Ingram is a storyteller whose 21st century recitations speak to a childhood in Arnold's Cove and the funny side of everyday life.  While growing up in this Placentia Bay community, Ingram listened to recitations on radio and record and was inspired by his Uncle Mose who would write and perform his own recitations.  In this debut publication, Ingram has done a superb job in writing and presenting a compilation of light hearted, humorous poems recounting everything from Great-Uncle John's Christmas to the troubles with remote controls. With a few more serious, short stories thrown into the mix, Don't Be Talkin' is a fun and entertaining book for all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and for those who just want a good laugh. 

Everyone knows one, / And that there's no doubt, / Someone all negative, / Yes, down in the mouth. //  I know one quite well, / He's my Great-Uncle John, / But it's not of his wit, / Or his charm I'm so fond. // But crooked as sin, / That's a way to describe 'im, / Opinions he got, / And don't care if you like 'em. // Yes, he's that friggin' crooked, / I'll tell you right now, / If he died tomorrow,  He'd be screwed in the ground. //

Ingram's topics run the gamut! From humorous recitations on parenting such as "Good Night Little One" and, my personal favorite, "Don't Ask" to the rum-running adventures of a Skipper from Placentia Bay in "Just Inside The Gate". Who wouldn't be entertained by a most unfortunate labour dispute at the North Pole by some very tired reindeer in the recitation entitled "Havoc At The North Pole" and in "The Square Root of Pie" readers will delight in reading about the stolen pies by a clever baker from Marg's Bakery.  Ingram really decides to "ham it up" when he tells us about the three legged pig known as Sir Frances Bacon in the poem "The One About The Pig"  and readers will be left impressed by the enterprising group of ladies who barter with tea buns in "Trouble With Tea Buns".  Skipper Bill's tale of a big bull moose named Jerome in the poem "Jerome" is hilarious and of course in this year of 2021 no book of recitations could be complete without a pandemic poem called "The Other End of This". On a more serious note, Ingram also includes some heartfelt stories and tributes to people, like his Dad and sister, who have influenced his life.  

You know, being a parent, / Sometimes you don't know, / If you're doing it right, / So you go with the flow. // Like a little while back, / About a month or two, / I was fixing the mower, / Or at least trying to. //  When a voice behind me, / Made me quite perplexed, / As my eight-year-old daughter asked, / Daddy, what's sex? //

Don't Be Talkin' ~ Recitations and Other Foolishness From Newfoundland and Labrador is a fantastic read!!  This is an all ages show contained within the covers of 180 pages; an open ticket that will leave you busting a gut and coming back for more time and time again. Don't Be Talkin'  is a Flanker Press Publication.