Explore the latest books of this year!
Bookbot

Wayne Johnston

    May 22, 1958
    The Old Lost Land of Newfoundland
    Custodian of Paradise
    Baltimore's Mansion: A Memoir
    The Colony of Unrequited Dreams
    Jennie's Boy: A Misfit Childhood on an Island of Eccentrics
    The Home Stretch
    • 2023

      "Wayne Johnston's family -- his mother, father, and three brothers -- were always on the move. The year he turned eight, the most memorable year of an unusual childhood, they found themselves occupying a wreck of a house in the community his mother Jennie was from: Goulds, Newfoundland was not so much a place as a scattering of homes along an unpaved road. Everyone knew him as "Jennie's boy," and his tiny, ferocious mother felt judged for Wayne's sickly, skinny condition -- he had to spend much of his time in a bed on wheels that was moved from room to room. While his brothers went off to school, Wayne passed his days with his witty, eccentric maternal grandmother, Lucy, whose son Leonard had died at the age of seven and whose photo stood alongside a statue of the Blessed Virgin. Jennie's Boy recalls a boyhood full of pain, laughter, tenderness, and the kind of wit for which Newfoundlanders are known. By that wit, and by their love for each other -- so often expressed in the most unloving ways -- he, and they, survived" -- Provided by publisher

      Jennie's Boy: A Misfit Childhood on an Island of Eccentrics
    • 2023

      Stuffed Animals

      A Collection of Microfiction

      • 150 pages
      • 6 hours of reading

      This collection features haunting micro fiction that captivates with its blend of black humor, horror, and tragedy. Each story offers unexpected surprises and plot twists, engaging readers in a unique exploration of diverse themes and genres. The emphasis on word play and conceptual games adds depth, making it a thought-provoking read for those who appreciate literary experimentation.

      Stuffed Animals
    • 2021

      The Mystery of Right and Wrong

      • 560 pages
      • 20 hours of reading

      The book explores themes of resilience and personal growth through the journey of its protagonist, who faces significant challenges and transformations. Readers are drawn into a compelling narrative that combines emotional depth with relatable experiences. The characters are vividly portrayed, each contributing to the overarching message of hope and perseverance. With a gripping plot that keeps the audience engaged, the story resonates with anyone seeking inspiration and motivation in their own lives.

      The Mystery of Right and Wrong
    • 2020

      The Home Stretch

      • 208 pages
      • 8 hours of reading

      For Bill, the end has always been in view. His life has seen a series of unlikely extensions. When he was young, he hated his father and contemplated suicide. Later in his life he was diagnosed with leukemia and expected to die within months. Bill's childhood was spent on a communal evangelical mission, but eventually Bill began to question his parents' strict religious beliefs. His father reacted with violence and Bill felt trapped between the dishonesty of trying to conform to his parents' beliefs and the conviction that he was doomed to hell for questioning them. Eventually he provokes his father into a confrontation that leads to an outcome that redefines their relationship and alters the course of both of their lives. By midlife, Bill has been married for twenty years and has his own family. The challenges he has faced at sea as chief engineer on tugboats have helped him heal. His thoughts of suicide have faded. His father's recent descent into Alzheimer's Disease has created an avenue for the reconciliation the two have worked on for years. Then, unexpectedly, a story emerges about his father, involving his sister, and Bill is confronted once again with the dark side of his father's personality.

      The Home Stretch
    • 2019

      Ten Cities

      The Past Is Present

      • 138 pages
      • 5 hours of reading

      Exploring the profound connection between memory and place, the narrative delves into how returning to familiar locations reignites past experiences and emotions. It highlights the enduring presence of our memories, even as the physical spaces transform and we undergo personal changes. The interplay between past and present offers a reflective journey, revealing how our identities are shaped by the places we inhabit and the memories we hold dear.

      Ten Cities
    • 2017

      The Official John Wayne Way To Barbecue

      • 260 pages
      • 10 hours of reading

      The Official John Wayne Way to Barbeque cookbook contains more than 200 pages of Duke's favorite barbeque, from Asian barbecue chicken, to jerk-style ribs to a Tennessee burger and much more.

      The Official John Wayne Way To Barbecue
    • 2013

      The son of a certain woman

      • 435 pages
      • 16 hours of reading

      Percy Joyce is afflicted from birth with a congenital disfigurement but a regular boy on the cusp of teenage-hood, filled with yearning, wild with hormones, longing for what he can't have, for wanting to be let in ... and let out; and his disturbingly alluring mother, Penelope, whose sex appeal fairly leaps off the page. Every man in St. John's lusts after her, including her sister-in-law Medina, her paying border, Pops MacDougall, with whom she carries on an affair of convenience - and Percy.

      The son of a certain woman
    • 2012

      A World Elsewhere

      • 294 pages
      • 11 hours of reading
      3.5(39)Add rating

      Beloved author Wayne Johnston returns to the territory of his #1 national bestseller The Colony of Unrequited Dreams with this sweeping tale of ambition, remorse and hope. A World Elsewhere is an astounding work of literature with all the hallmarks of Wayne Johnston's most beloved and acclaimed novels: outsiders yearning for acceptance, dreams that threaten to overpower their makers, and unlikely romance. The beating heart of this story is the touching relationship between a father and his adopted son. This sweeping tale immerses us in St. John's, Princeton and North Carolina at the close of the 19th century. Landish Druken is a formidable figure: broader than most doorways, quick-witted and sharp-tongued. As a student at Princeton, he is befriended by Padgett "Van" Vanderluyden, son of the wealthiest man in America. Years later, when Landish and his son turn to Van for help, he invites them to his self-constructed castle and pulls them into his web of lies and deceit.

      A World Elsewhere
    • 2009

      The Old Lost Land of Newfoundland

      Family, Memory, Fiction, and Myth

      • 47 pages
      • 2 hours of reading
      3.4(20)Add rating

      Wayne Johnston captivates audiences in his lecture at the University of Alberta, where he explores the myths and realities of Newfoundland. As a master storyteller, he enriches his talk with engaging anecdotes and spontaneous asides, offering listeners a blend of entertainment and insight into his native land. His participation in the Canadian Literature Centre's Henry Kreisel Lecture Series highlights his prominence as a Canadian writer and his ability to connect with an enthusiastic audience.

      The Old Lost Land of Newfoundland
    • 2008

      Custodian of Paradise

      • 530 pages
      • 19 hours of reading
      3.7(23)Add rating

      Set against the backdrop of World War II, the story follows Sheilagh Fielding, a tall and striking woman navigating life on a deserted Newfoundland island. With a crippled leg and a sharp wit, she has made enemies through her revealing newspaper columns about St. John's society. The mysterious figure known as her Provider has shadowed her for two decades, holding the key to her secrets. The narrative explores themes of power, vulnerability, and resilience in a historical context, making Fielding a compelling and complex character.

      Custodian of Paradise