Come from Away: Memory, War, and the Search for a Family's Past

The author grew up in Hamilton, Ontario, a far cry from Grand Falls, Newfoundland, where his maternal great-grandparents, the Josiah Goodyears, raised their seven children. In this chronicle of his grandparents' generation, Macfarlane deftly intertwines personal memory, family lore and vivid images of WW I battles where three of the Goodyear brothers perished. His grandfather, partner with two surviving brothers in the construction business, built roads, hauled freight, operated general stores and strongly opposed confederation with Canada. In the end, the brothers went bankrupt. Macfarlane portrays the exploitation of Newfoundland by outsiders and its decline from prosperous colony to desperately poor province in this engaging story of people and events. Photos. (Sept.)