A Newfoundlander in Canada

Always Going Somewhere, Always Coming Home

By: Alan Doyle

Narrated by: Alan Doyle

Following the fantastic success of his bestselling memoir, Where I Belong, Great Big Sea front man Alan Doyle returns with a hilarious, heartwarming account of leaving Newfoundland and discovering Canada for the first time.

Armed with the same personable, candid style found in his first book, Alan Doyle turns his perspective outward from Petty Harbour toward mainland Canada, reflecting on what it was like to venture away from the comforts of home and the familiarity of the island.

Often in a van, sometimes in a bus, occasionally in a car with broken wipers "using Bob's belt and a rope found by Paddy's Pond" to pull them back and forth, Alan and his bandmates charted new territory, and he constantly measured what he saw of the vast country against what his forefathers once called the Daemon Canada. In a period punctuated by triumphant leaps forward for the band, deflating steps backward and everything in between—opening for Barney the Dinosaur at an outdoor music festival, being propositioned at a gas station mail-order bride service in Alberta, drinking moonshine with an elderly church-goer on a Sunday morning in PEI—Alan's few established notions about Canada were often debunked and his own identity as a Newfoundlander was constantly challenged. Touring the country, he also discovered how others view Newfoundlanders and how skewed these images can sometimes be. Asked to play in front of the Queen at a massive Canada Day festival on Parliament Hill, the concert organizers assured Alan and his bandmates that the best way to showcase Newfoundland culture was for them to be towed onto stage in a dory and introduced not as Newfoundlanders but as "Newfies." The boys were not amused.

Heartfelt, funny and always insightful, these stories tap into the complexities of community and Canadianness, forming the portrait of a young man from a tiny fishing village trying to define and hold on to his sense of home while navigating a vast and diverse and wonder-filled country.

Doyle's story-telling skills are remarkable

Any additional comments?

This is as wonderful to listen to--in Doyle's wonderful, rambling voice--as his first book, Boy on the Bridge. Those who read the book rather than choose the audible version, are missing fully half the charm, humor and mischief. It's especially true when he breaks into song, accent or impression. Easily one of my top three audiobooks, after 120 monthly audible deliveries.
I can only hope he's working on a third. Perhaps a down East mystery caper?

Does Newfoundland proud

Made me proud to be a Newfoundlander. Alan writes as well as he sings.
Looking forward to his second book, which I'm starting now.

what a you at?

Loved hearing Alan's story in his own voice and actually laughed out loud in several places.

Loved everything about this!

LOVED this memoir of a natural born story teller on the road with his band discovering his country for the first time. The stories were hilarious, honest, warm, insightful and make me want to meet every person and see every site he described along his way. And nothing beats hearing him read it himself!

Fantastic

A fantastic listen from beginning to end. Add it to your collection and you will not be disappointed!