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 Short listed for the 2004 Newfoundland and Labrador Historic Sites History and Heritage Award

Maura Hanrahan is the author, co-author, or editor of ten books in several genres, including creative non-fiction, history, and the acclaimed The Doryman (2003). Her writing has won awards in Canada, Britain, and the U.S. Born in Newfoundland, she is of English, Irish, French and Mi’kmaq ancestry. For about fourteen years, she has been a self-employed consultant on Aboriginal issues and has worked mostly with Aboriginal organizations on health, education, land claims, and cultural survival issues. She lives in St. John’s with her husband, the novelist Paul Butler. She has won several book awards including: the 2007 Good Read Novel Competition: Honourable Distinction for Sheilagh’s Brush (unpublished novel); and the 2005 History and Heritage Award for Tsunami: The Newfoundland Tidal Wave Disaster.

Maura Hanrahan's profile page