In Book Club | By Fogo Island Inn | September 12, 2019
Wayne Johnston: A Canadian Novelist Returns to His Newfoundland Roots
By: Nicolle Iovanov
Renowned Newfoundland-born author Wayne Johnston returns to "The Rock". Fogo Island is buzzing with news of his arrival; founders of Shorefast and staff at Fogo Island Inn count Wayne as an inspiration and gifted storyteller. This Berry Season, staff and guests alike will delight in welcoming Wayne to Fogo Island Inn.
Humble Beginnings
Wayne was born and raised in Goulds, Newfoundland. Upon finishing high school and after a brief stint in pre-medical, Wayne received a BA in English from Memorial University. From there, he became a reporter for the St. John's Daily News before deciding to devote his full energies to writing.
Along Wayne's journey to becoming a published author, he chose to pursue an MA in Creative Writing from the University of New Brunswick. Upon graduation his career skyrocketed when his first book, The Story of Bobby O'Malley, was published. Wayne was just 27 years old when he won the Books in Canada First Novel Award for The Story of Bobby O'Malley, and recognition didn't stop there.
A Pillar of Canadian Literature
Subsequent and well-received novels were instrumental in accelerating his popularity. A fan-favourite, The Divine Ryans, was adapted into the 1999 film of the same name, starring Academy Award nominated Pete Postlethwaite. Another tremendously popular novel, Baltimore's Mansion, a memoir based on three generations of men: Wayne, his father, and his grandfather. Baltimore's Mansion won the Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction in 2000 and the University of British Columbia Gold Medal Prize for Non-Fiction. When the novels The Colony of Unrequited Dreams and The Navigator of New York were published, they topped various Canadian bestseller lists. The Globe and Mail even went on to list The Colony of Unrequited Dreams as one of the 100 most important Canadian books.
Join Us...
On the weekend of October 25 – 27, Wayne Johnston will regale guests with his tales and do a special reading at the Inn's Gathering Hall. You can find more information on this special event here.
