I've had this book for a while, purchased when I lived in St. John's and autographed by the author. First published in 1970, it's a semi-autobiographical novel about a dysfunctional Newfoundland family. The father, though hard-working and non-drinking, is a bitter parsimonious man unable to show affection for his family.The opening three chapters sketch the hardscrabble background of Saul Stone and his wife, Gertrude, and how they came to settle in a mill town in western Newfoundland. The remaining chapters in Part One acquaint us with each of the children: Ank, Flinksy, Racer, Crawfie, Juju, and Fudge.
The sole member of the family to escape the mill town permanently is Juju, the narrator. When he returns for a visit in Part Two, we learn how poorly his siblings have fared as adults. His brothers, drunks all, have created miserable replicas of the original Stone family. Only his sister Flinksy, though an overweight glutton, has a spirit of generosity.
The colourful Irish-inflected dialogue is superb, and perhaps one reason why this book has been called "the great Newfoundland novel."
Percy Janes
The author grew up in Cornerbrook. Like Juju he enlisted in the navy, gained an education, and travelled widely. He served as writer-in-residence at MUN, which now houses his literary papers.
The Percy Janes Award is given annually for the best unpublished novel by a Newfoundland resident, and is worth a nifty $1500.
