Alan Doyle

I really enjoyed his first book, and was eager to listen to his new one while roadtripping back from Denver. The first one was fun and amusing. This one was hilarious! Doyle weaves stories of touring with Great Big Sea in their early days together to show Newfoundland's uncomfortable and relatively new place in Canada, and how he discovered the country he was born into.

And the stories he told had me laughing as I drove the long drive back home. I don't think I"ll ever forget the entire show more chapter with the airplane and baby. I think I had a look of absolute horror the entire time.

Doyle's got a magic touch with words. It shows here. He weaves together a narrative and paints the scenes so vividly, I could picture everything in my mind. show less

Alan Doyle grew up to become lead singer of Great Big Sea. He grew up in a small town, just outside St. John’s, Newfoundland with 3 siblings and a very musical family; in fact, they were known as “The Doyles from Petty Harbour” and everyone knew they were musical. The book is told as a series of stories, and include stories of his family and friends, music, religion (Catholic vs. Protestant), fishing, and more.

I listened to the audio, read by Alan himself. I loved it! The accent and show more the phrases, and he’s so funny! I laughed out loud many times (people on transit probably stealing odd glances toward me?)! Oh, what a great storyteller! Listening to the audio, he actually played a recording of a brief conversation with his mom, and when there were lyrics in the text of the book, he sang them. Sigh…

I had a roommate/best friend in my 20s who was from Newfoundland (in fact, from The Goulds, near Petty Harbour, where Alan went to high school) – the accent and phrases and funny stories all made me think of her. He’s only a few years older than me and my friend, so I recognized many things/places that she talked about, as well. Oh, I even remember her mentioning the high school band he was in – I think she showed me a yearbook photo of them with the FA on the drums (for First Attempt).

I really don’t think people would need the personal (or in my case, secondary) references to enjoy this, though. I highly recommend the audio! show less

This was incredibly entertaining, I laughed out loud many times. Doyle's intent was to brighten up the Covid lockdown for us and for him when he missed performing in the folk rock group Great Big Sea. He succeeded magnificently! Not only did he tell us funny and heartwarming stories about his life and profession but included a brief travelogue of Newfoundland. I listened to the audiobook read by Doyle and highly recommend it. Five stars!

This is a love letter and travel guide to Newfoundland and Labrador, written by a lifelong resident, tour and museum guide, and frontman of Great Big Sea. Each chapter brings together people, history, and personal memory as he travels the island. I loved discovering corners of Newfoundland I’d never thought about before (I saved so many spots to check out), and realizing just how big and culturally rich the province is. This book is warm and affectionate without being overly romanticized. show more Some rough edges are there, especially the realities of shifting from a cod-based economy to tourism. It’s hard, and it’s working. I want to see the whales and puffins, drink in the pubs, and snuggle under a quilt. My main takeaway is to start planning a visit, just not in February.

Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Canada for the advance copy. show less