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THE SMILING LAND
Alan Doyle
Penguin Random House Canada
November 4, 2025
288 pages
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As soon as I learned about this book, I knew I had to read it. Newfoundland is my absolute favourite place in the world. I have visited 40+ times, I’m married to a Newfoundlander. And, Alan Doyle (formerly of Great Big Sea) is one of my favourite Canadian singers. He is so full of life and joy, simply infectious. I’ve read and loved his previous books.
This book is a tour around a few parts of Newfoundland, the province Alan is from and lives in. It’s not just a travelogue, it’s a bit of history, a lot of culture and humorous anecdotes. Alan covers everything from the history of churches, the Vikings and alcohol smuggling. He is quick to laugh at himself, he is very humble. He writes just as he talks, I’m sure the audio version would be just like a conversation with him.
Alan takes us, the reader, through many places. And, he only covered a small portion of the province. He shows us that even though the population is relatively small, it is quite diverse: from customs to local accents.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I smiled quite a few times as Alan talked about The Smiling Land. Even though I have been to Newfoundland many times and seen many sights, I still have not seen it all.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
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