How Strong the Roots
Clarence Brown Dewling

Roots Run Deep ISBN 0-88651-105-4 126 pages, b&w illustrations Price: CDN$14.95 Qty:

Book Description Introduction " After Confederation in 1949 our people experienced euphoria of expectations prviously unknown to them. The Confederates had promised four jobs for every worker. Getting an education offered better chance of, and better pay for, these jobs. Many people believed that the inshore cod fishery was a small step above welfare. If one could not get work anywhere else and if one was prepared to work hard for little in return, then, the fishery might be considered an alternative." The book How Strong the Rootsis a book of poetry, with emphasis on family and Newfoundland cultural heritage and the survival of some outports despite resettlement, the rape of the cod fishery and the attack of an uncaring federal government. The poetry of this book extol both the beauty and the hardship of outport life - before Confederation...and afterward. Like old ledger entries of flour and twine, this book documents the price of survival and bears witness to our perennial desire...to culture something even more valuable. We conditioned ourselves to write until it brought us to a stop and then we rose above it by writing below it and then moved on. About the Author Born and raised in Trouty, Trinity Bay in 1935 Clarence Dewling can remember nothing about the Depression except the agonies told by his family. Glimpses of the War years on early radio transmissions remain with him but are crowded out by the broadcasts of the National Convention and Uncle Mose. After graduating from St. Matthew's one-room Anglican school, he went on to study Education at Memorial University. He taught school at Joe Batt's Arm, Gander, Glenwood, Windsor, Bell Island, and Mount Pearl. He retired in 1989. He and his wife Sarah have two sons.