For nearly a decade, Robert Finch traveled around the "edge of North America" — the stunning yet seriously inhospitable island of Newfoundland. Here, he chronicles the people, geography, and wildlife of this remote and lovely place. In beautifully written essays, sketches, and stories, Finch roams from verdant valleys to the rocky cliffs of Cape Spear, from Sandy Cove to Squid Tickle, from the steep streets of historic St. John's to the moss–covered tundra of the southern coast. As he describes the land, he brings to life the island's diverse array of characters — newcomers and old–timers, fisherman, hunters, hitchhikers, and children. Most of all, The Iambics of Newfoundland shows readers the island itself — an ancient place tucked between provinces, languages, and cultures — struggling to find a footing in the modern world. From acclaimed nature writer Finch comes this curious book about Newfoundland. It's a visually evocative account, full of careful descriptions and fascinating people, but it's not without some missteps. For example: although Finch supplies readers with a glossary of Newfoundland terms—mollyfudge, spudgel—and occasionally reproduces the distinct Newfoundland accent, he gives us no real sense of how a Newfoundlander sounds (although, when you get Newfoundlanders talking enthusiastically, they sound like no one else on earth). Another curiosity is that the book captures a Newfoundland that no longer exists: the book describes the author's travels on the island between 1987 and 1996, before several recent political upheavals and before an Olympic gold medal in curling catapulted the province into the limelight. Finch's Newfoundland, then, is neither contemporary nor so old that it takes on historical import. As George Carlin once said, How can you be nostalgic for the concept of "a little while ago"? While the book certainly serves as a competent introduction to Newfoundland and its people, it never quite does its rich subject justice. Pitt, David Widely regarded as one of America's leading nature writers, Robert Finch has lived on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, since 1971. He has published seven books of essays and is co-editor of The Norton Book of Nature Writing . Used Book in Good Condition