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The Doryman
The Doryman follows the true story of Richard Hanrahan from age nine when he is ripped away from the safety and comfort of the schoolroom to the seasonal shore fishery on Newfoundland's South Coast in the late 1800s. Later, hardening into premature manhood in the Banks fishery, he at once strives to mould himself into the stern shape of his fisherman father, yet longs to escape and find a better life for his own family.
The Doryman is part tribute to a way of life that is gone, part lament for the storm-tossed lives of those who lived on the sea and were at mercy of economic and social powers that chained their dreams fast to the rugged shores of Newfoundland. Above all, it is a compelling tale filled with spirited characters, tragedy and resilience, tidal waves, and august gales.
Winner of the 2003 Lawrence Jackson Writers Award
Shortlisted for the 2004 Newfoundland and Labrador Historic Sites History and Heritage Award
The Doryman is part tribute to a way of life that is gone, part lament for the storm-tossed lives of those who lived on the sea and were at mercy of economic and social powers that chained their dreams fast to the rugged shores of Newfoundland. Above all, it is a compelling tale filled with spirited characters, tragedy and resilience, tidal waves, and august gales.
Winner of the 2003 Lawrence Jackson Writers Award
Shortlisted for the 2004 Newfoundland and Labrador Historic Sites History and Heritage Award
213 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 23, 2016
The true story of a boy growing up in coastal Newfoundland (not far from my own ancestors in Collins Cove).
Richard is only nine years old, seasick and terrified when he is initiated into the ways of the sea, setting off with his dour father to fish on the Grand Banks.
I learned a lot reading this and it brought home to me what my own ancestors went through making a living from the sea. I had no idea how much work went into just getting a ship ready to sail; painstakingly chipping ice off anchor chains, mending hundreds of pounds of sails, getting the dories ship shape, a whole month or twos work before their pay even started.
It was a hard life with little to show for their agonies. Shipwrecks were common, especially during the infamous August storms. Touched on too, though dwelt on more extensively in Hanrahan's book "Tsunami", was the tsunami that devastated southern Newfoundland in 1929.
Through all his youth and manhood, Richard dreamed of making a living on hard soil, always hating the futility of the open sea; finally, during the Great Depression he has his chance as a Salter. Just one more voyage to tide his family over...
I really enjoyed this, and it being true makes it all the more fascinating. Since I almost always read old, out of print books, it took me a while to get used to the modern way of writing (short, clipped sentences-almost juvenile), but once I adjusted it rolled along nicely.
Content:
Suitable for all readers.
Richard is only nine years old, seasick and terrified when he is initiated into the ways of the sea, setting off with his dour father to fish on the Grand Banks.
I learned a lot reading this and it brought home to me what my own ancestors went through making a living from the sea. I had no idea how much work went into just getting a ship ready to sail; painstakingly chipping ice off anchor chains, mending hundreds of pounds of sails, getting the dories ship shape, a whole month or twos work before their pay even started.
It was a hard life with little to show for their agonies. Shipwrecks were common, especially during the infamous August storms. Touched on too, though dwelt on more extensively in Hanrahan's book "Tsunami", was the tsunami that devastated southern Newfoundland in 1929.
Through all his youth and manhood, Richard dreamed of making a living on hard soil, always hating the futility of the open sea; finally, during the Great Depression he has his chance as a Salter. Just one more voyage to tide his family over...
I really enjoyed this, and it being true makes it all the more fascinating. Since I almost always read old, out of print books, it took me a while to get used to the modern way of writing (short, clipped sentences-almost juvenile), but once I adjusted it rolled along nicely.
Content:
Suitable for all readers.
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May 21, 2025great story
May 10, 2024
This story takes place in Newfoundland in the late 1800s. It tells the story of Richard Hanrahan, a nine-year-old boy who enjoys attending school and hopes it will help him escape the hard life of fishing. His father Steve is a stern man who works the seasonal fishery off The Banks of this large rocky province to support his family. Watching him, Richard knows he wants a better, safer life in his future, away from the treacherous sea and the dangers it holds.
Since he was a young boy, Richard has watched his father leave the family home in the early hours of the morning to face the peril of the open water and the unpredictable weather with its threat of fog, gales and sudden storms that have taken the lives of so many in the past. He has seen his mother look longingly out sea, facing the fact that her husband might not return, like many before him who lost their lives far from the rugged shores of their homes. In the offseason, Richard has seen his father complete the hard tedious work of preparing for the the next fishing season, spending long hours repairing his boat and mending his gear. He knows it is a life he des not want.
When conditions are such that Richard must reluctantly leave school and go to sea with his father, he mourns the possibilities of the future he wanted working on the land. yet there is little choice so he tries to model himself after his father, who has fished the Banks off Newfoundland for much of his life, accepting that hard dangerous work as simply a fact of life. Richard knows he must do the same.
The novel describes a way of life now gone, a time when social and economic conditions left few options for those living in Newfoundland during that time. It pays tribute to the many who depended on the sea for their livelihood and who accepted it, because they had to.
This is a sad and somber tale, but an important one for those trying to understand Newfoundland’s history, its people and their way of life.
Since he was a young boy, Richard has watched his father leave the family home in the early hours of the morning to face the peril of the open water and the unpredictable weather with its threat of fog, gales and sudden storms that have taken the lives of so many in the past. He has seen his mother look longingly out sea, facing the fact that her husband might not return, like many before him who lost their lives far from the rugged shores of their homes. In the offseason, Richard has seen his father complete the hard tedious work of preparing for the the next fishing season, spending long hours repairing his boat and mending his gear. He knows it is a life he des not want.
When conditions are such that Richard must reluctantly leave school and go to sea with his father, he mourns the possibilities of the future he wanted working on the land. yet there is little choice so he tries to model himself after his father, who has fished the Banks off Newfoundland for much of his life, accepting that hard dangerous work as simply a fact of life. Richard knows he must do the same.
The novel describes a way of life now gone, a time when social and economic conditions left few options for those living in Newfoundland during that time. It pays tribute to the many who depended on the sea for their livelihood and who accepted it, because they had to.
This is a sad and somber tale, but an important one for those trying to understand Newfoundland’s history, its people and their way of life.
April 6, 2012
"It is a compelling tale filled with tragedy, heroism, tidal waves and August gales." -- The Telegram
"It offers suspenseful and moving moments." -- Globe and Mail
"It's an absorbing tale in which the reader lives the dangerous moments . . ." -- The Catholic Register
"[A] gripping read." -- The Aurora
"A detailed and engaging story . . ." -- Newfoundland Historical Society Newsletter
"[An] absorbing book . . ." -- Messing About in Boats
"A compelling tale . . ." -- Enjoy magazine
"It offers suspenseful and moving moments." -- Globe and Mail
"It's an absorbing tale in which the reader lives the dangerous moments . . ." -- The Catholic Register
"[A] gripping read." -- The Aurora
"A detailed and engaging story . . ." -- Newfoundland Historical Society Newsletter
"[An] absorbing book . . ." -- Messing About in Boats
"A compelling tale . . ." -- Enjoy magazine
December 18, 2016
This book provides excellent insight into the life of Newfoundland fishermen in a 'company town'. It says it is fiction but reads more like a family history assembled complete with news stories. I felt like I was reading the family tree intended for the author's children rather than a novel. This was a style I found I did not like, while the sense of history was very compelling and a story for Canadians interested in exploring who we are and why.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews