"Although the author of Pulitzer Prize-winning The Shipping News is American, the book, its characters and setting are about as Canadian as any written by a home-grown author. If you are planning a trip to Newfoundland this book will immerse you, as it does its protagonist, in all things Newfie!

The book’s hero Quoyle, returns to his ancestral home along with his two small daughters to pick up the pieces of his life following a series of disasters. After taking up with his crusty, unloveable aunt, he lands a job as a reporter for a local paper. Quoyle’s induction into the way of life in this seemingly inhospitable corner of Canada includes many harsh realities in the form of fog, cold, isolation, tragedy and mystery. Luckily these come with the warmth of the local people and a love interest!

You may be wondering why Newfoundland has a robust tourist trade! Despite its remoteness and harsh climate, Newfoundland is beautiful, spectacularly so, has a fascinating history that can’t be ignored, unavoidable quirkiness (its own time-zone three-and-a-half hours behind GMT!) and famously welcoming people.

The Shipping News is not an easy read, it pulls you in gradually. It is, however, a good book to introduce Newfoundland to the discerning traveller."