Click on titles to read Newf-related passages and comments. The year in parentheses immediately following the title is the year of first publication; dates in parentheses following the author's name are birth and death dates for that author.

The Expedition of Humphry Clinker (1771) by Tobias Smollett

This novel, a comic/satiric look at life among English high-society types, mentions Newfoundlands rather unfavorably.

"The History of Gallantry" by Anonymous (1771)

This anonymous satiric tale mentions a real-life Newfoundland associated with a real-life scandal.

The Cozeners (1774) by Samuel Foote

Foote (1721 - 1771) was a noted playwright and actor; this play is one of the earlier metaphorical references to Newfoundland dogs.

"A Scene in Mr. Foote's New Comedy" by Anonymous (1774)

This extract from Samuel Foote's satiric play The Cozeners appeared in the London Magazine, an influential literary monthly. The reference to Newfs is metaphorical, but confirms that many Newfs at the time had curly coats.

"Elegy on the Death of Bungy"(1784) by Anonymous

As far as my research has discovered, this is the earliest-known elegy on the death of a Newfoundland dog — 24 years before Lord Byron's much more literary and more famous 1808 elegy on his Newfoundland, Boatswain.

"The Twa Dogs"(1786) by Robert Burns

Burns is widely regarded as Scotland's greatest poet; this poem, which inspired a painting by Sir Edwin Landseer, presents a conversation between a Newfoundland and a collie in which they compare their lives.

"Ode: Rich as Dutch cargoes from the fragrant East" (1787) by John Wolcot ("Peter Pindar")

Wolcot (1738 - 1819) was an English writer of satiric verse. This mention of Newfoundlands notes their size and nobility.

The Caravan by Francis Reynolds (1803)

This play is, as far as I know, the very first dramatic work with a role specifically scripted for a Newfoundland dog. (This play may also be found listed in the "Newfs in film and television" section of The Cultured Newf.)

"The Exciseman's Disaster" (1804) by John Collins

Collins (1742 - 1804) was an English comic actor, poet, and newspaper publisher, virtually unknown now.

The Life of the Famous Dog Carlo (1804) by Eliza Fenwick

Fenwick was an English writer. This work for younger readers is a fictional 'biography' of the Newfoundland "Carlo" made famous by Francis Reynold's 1803 play The Caravan.

"Inscription on the Monument to a Newfoundland Dog"(1808) by George Gordon, Lord Byron

Byron (1788 - 1824) was one of the most popular (and notorious) poets of early 19th-Century England, and this is arguably the most quoted piece of Newfoundland literature ever.

A History of New-York (1809) by Washington Irving

The first published work by Irving (1783 - 1859), a history-cum-satire.

Northanger Abbey (1818) by Jane Austen

Austen (1775 - 1817) is of course the beloved English novelist best known for Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Sense and Sensibility.

Sporting Magazine (1819)

A popular sporting monthly, published in London. This issue contains a brief comic satire on a (fictional) noblewoman and her Newfoundland.

Vivian Grey (1826) by Benjamin Disraeli

Disraeli (1804 - 1881) was one of the most important British politicians of the later 1800s, serving for a time as leader of the Conservative Party and twice as British Prime Minister. He was also a novelist; Vivian Grey was his first novel.

Noctes Ambrosianæ #33, 34 (1827) by John Wilson

Entries from a popular series of imaginary dialogues between a small group of educated friends, originally published individually in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine. This first of these includes some discussion of the Newfoundland belonging to one of the characters — and if you can get through the Scottish dialect, it's quite an encomium on the size and strength of the Newf.

Noctes Ambrosianæ #50 (1830) by John Wilson

Another in a series of imaginary dialogues between a small group of educated friends, this one includes some discussion of a Newfoundland belonging to one of the characters. This Newf, the son of the Newfoundland mentioned in earlier episodes in this series, ingests some opium. Comic mayhem ensues.

New Sporting Magazine (1833)

The February issue of this field sports monthly carried a comic article by Thomas Hood (1799 - 1845), the English editor, poet, and humorist (not to be confused with his son Tom Hood, also a poet.) This brief satire on some aspects of hunting includes a general reference to Newfoundlands.

"Dog-Grel Verses. By A Poor Blind" (1834) by Thomas Hood

Hood (1799 - 1845) was an English editor, writer, and poet, primarily of comic works (and is not to be confused with his son Tom Hood, also a poet.)

"Epitaph for Caesar" (1835?) by Lord Eldon

Another nobleman pens an epitaph for his Newfoundland.

"Engraved on the Collar of a Newfoundland Dog" (1836) by Stephen Prentis

Prentis (1800 -1852) was an English poet and editor, almost unknown now; in his lifetime he had a small reputation, primarily for his humorous verse. He spent much of his adult life living in France, and published most of his works privately, for circulation among his friends only.

The Pickwick Papers (1836-1837) by Charles Dickens

Dickens' first novel, published serially, is more comic than the typical Dickens novel; it's really a collection of linked tales more than a unified novel.

See also this brief note regarding Dickens and Newfies.

The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym (1838) by Edgar Allan Poe (1809 - 1849)

A short adventure novel that swerves into some strange quasi-religious fantasy at the end.

The Deputy of Arcis (1839) by Honoré de Balzac

Balzac (1799 - 1850) is one of the major figures of 19th Century French literary culture; his novels and plays are known for their highly realistic and nuanced portrayals of a broad range of human characters.

Barnaby Rudge (1841) by Charles Dickens

One of Dickens' two historical novels (the other being A Tale of Two Cities), this one is set during a time of religious unrest in late 18th-Century England.

The Fitz-Boodle Papers (1842) by William Makepeace Thackeray

Although not much read now, Thackeray (1811 - 1863) was a popular and influential mid-Victorian writer. This is an early work by Thackeray, a satire on Victorian high society.

Eve and David (1843) by Honoré de Balzac

"The Gold-Bug" (1843) by Edgar Allan Poe (1809 - 1849)

One of Poe's classic detective stories.

Martin Chuzzlewit (1843-44) by Charles Dickens

Considered the last of Dickens' early novels, and not regarded as one of his best works.

"The Newfoundland Dog" (1843) lyrics by F. W. N. Bayley (1808 - 1853)

A popular song featuring a life-saving Newfoundland named Carlo.

Elinor Wyllys (1845) by Susan Fenimore Cooper (1813 - 1894)

Daughter of James Fenimore Cooper (Last of the Mohicans), who was known to use the pseudonym Amabel Penfeather. Her writings on rural life are increasingly recognized as important and influential early nature writing.

Cousin Pons (1847) by Honoré de Balzac

This novel, by one of France's greatest writers, briefly mentions a fierce Newfoundland performing guard duty.

Jane Eyre (1847) by Charlotte Brontë (1816 - 1855)

A classic early Victorian novel, filmed several times, and a significant work in the canon of Newfie lit.

Brontë also mentions a Newfie in a letter

Scenes and Characters (1847) by Charlotte Mary Yonge

A prolific English novelist, and popular in her time, Yonge (1823 - 1901) is now little read.

Vanity Fair (1847-48) by William Makepeace Thackeray

Although not much read now, Thackeray (1811 - 1863) was a popular and influential mid-Victorian writer. This, his most well-known novel, has been filmed a number of times, most recently in 2004.

Hudson's Bay (1848) by R. M . Ballantyne

Ballantyne (1825 - 1894) was a popular and prolific Scottish writer of adventure tales for boys, and was a significant influence on Robert Louis Stevenson. Ballantyne, from a family of writers and publishers, was also a painter of some note.

"The Open Window" (1850) by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882)

This short poem, which contains the only reference to Newfoundlands I've found in all of Longfellow, is part of a collection entitled By the Fireside. The poem is a bit of a tear-jerker about children growing up and the silence that lingers after they have gone.

"A Song for the Dog" (1848?) by Eliza Cook

Cook (1818 - 1889) was an English poet and writer, well known for unconventional political views that included the importance of education for the poor and women's rights.

Autobiography of a Pheasant (1850) by "Saron"

This satirical "autobiography" was serialized in Sporting Magazine beginning in October of 1850, and includes one early mention of a hapless Newfoundland dog.

"The Room of the Household" (1850?) by Eliza Cook

Cook (1818 - 1889) was an English poet and writer, well known for unconventional political views that included the importance of education for the poor and women's rights.

Willis the Pilot (1850) by Paul Adrien (? - ?)

This novel is a sequel to The Swiss Family Robinson, which was first published in 1812 and is mostly by Johann Wyss, a Swiss preacher. The authorship of Willis is confused, but most sources attribute it to the French writer Paul Adrien.

Moby-Dick (1851) by Herman Melville

The classic whale of a tale by Melville (1819 - 1891), one of the major figures of 19th Century American literature.

Peter the Whaler (1851) by W. H. G. Kingston

Kingston (1814 - 1880) was a popular and prolific author of boy's adventure stories in the 19th Century.

Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811 - 1896)

Stowe's classic novel on slavery in America.

A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys (1852) by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804 - 1864)

A collection of retellings of tales from Greek mythology for children.

Agatha's Husband (1852) by Dinah Mulock Craik

Craik (1826 - 1887) was an English novelist and poet.

The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green (1853-57) by Cuthbert M. Bede

Bede was the pseudonym of Edward M Bradley (1827 - 1889), an English clergyman and writer.

Ella Barnwell (1853) by Emerson Bennett

Bennett (1822 - 1901) was an American author of over fifty novels, most of them adventure tales that met with popular if not critical success.

"My Friend Spanner" (1853) by Samuel Sidney

This satiric short story appeared in Household Words, a weekly magazine edited and partly owned by Charles Dickens.

My Novel (1853) by Edward Bulwer-Lytton

Bulwer-Lytton (1803 - 1873) was a popular English novelist (and political figure) in the mid-19th Century, although he is perhaps best known now in connection with dogs — not Newfoundlands, but a certain cartoon beagle named Snoopy, whose comic-strip attempts to write a novel often began with "It was a dark and stormy night," which is the opening phrase of Bulwer-Lytton's 1830 novel Paul Clifford.

Scenes from Clerical Life (1853) by George Eliot

George Eliot (1819 - 1880) was the penname of English novelist Mary Anne Evans. This work, her first novel, is actually 3 separate stories about life and love in small English towns.

Hide and Seek (1854) by Wilkie Collins

Collins (1824 - 1889) was a popular Victorian writer and friend of Charles Dickens, best-known for his mystery novels, particularly The Woman in White and The Moonstone.

The Heir of Redclyffe (1854) by Charlotte Mary Yonge

A prolific English novelist, and popular in her time, Yonge (1823 - 1901) is now little read.

"Asleep" (1855) by Richard Forster Sketchley

Sketchley (1826-1911) was an English librarian, historian, and poet.

The Frozen Deep (1855) by Wilkie Collins

Collins (1824 - 1889) was a popular Victorian writer and friend of Charles Dickens, best-known for his mystery novels, particularly The Woman in White and The Moonstone. This short story was first published in 1855 and published in a book collection in 1874.

"The Guest" (1855) by Charles Dickens

Another Christmas-themed short story from the man who gave us "A Christmas Carol," this one includes a more-or-less incidental mention of a Newf.

Little Dorritt (1855-57) by Charles Dickens

A classic indictment by Dickens of Victorian complacency and materialism, along with a healthy dose of mystery.

The Daisy Chain (1856) by Charlotte Mary Yonge

A prolific English novelist, and popular in her time, Yonge (1823 - 1901) is now little read.

"Madame Freschon's" (1856) by Harriet Parr

Harriet Parr (1828–1900) was an English novelist and writer.

"Lost Alice" (1858) by Mary W. A. Gibson

Gibson was a British writer about whom little is known. This story, which appeared in Charles Dickens' literary magazine Household Words, features a woman whose Newf proves much more emotionally reliable and available than the man she marries.

Martin Rattler (1858) by R. M . Ballantyne

"The Reverend Alfred Hoblush's Statement" (1858) by Percy Hetherington Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald (1834–1925) was an Irish lawyer, artist, and writer. Another story from Charles Dickens' Household Words.

Ungava: A Tale of Esquimaux-land (1858) by R. M. Ballantyne

The Lifted Veil (1859) by George Eliot (1819 - 1880)

George Eliot (1819 - 1880) was the penname of English novelist Mary Anne Evans. This work is Eliot's only departure from Victorian realism.

Love Me Little, Love Me Long (1859) by Charles Reade

Reade (1814 - 1884) was an English dramatist and novelist, now largely unknown.

The Young Step-Mother (1856 - 1860) by Charlotte Mary Yonge

A prolific English novelist, and popular in her time, Yonge (1823 - 1901) is now little read.

The Dog Crusoe and His Master (1860) by R. M. Ballantyne

A Newfoundland, one of the main characters in this novel, accompanies his young owner when he sets out to foster peace between Native Americans and settlers in the American West.

The World of Ice (1860) by R. M . Ballantyne

This whaling adventure novel makes several metaphorical mentions of Newfoundlands.

The Red Eric (1861) by R. M. Ballantyne

This maritime adventure story makes one metaphorical reference to Newfoundlands.

The Stokesley Secret (1861) by Charlotte Mary Yonge

A prolific English novelist, and popular in her time, Yonge (1823 - 1901) is now little read.

"The Deil in the Pit. A Tale" (1862) by David Wingate

A Newfoundland is among those waiting to see what a pair of coal miners discover on their search for the "devil" haunting their mine.

Lady Audley's Secret (1862) by Mary Elizabeth Braddon

Braddon (1837 - 1915) was a prolific and popular Victorian writer of "sensation novels" and stories. Lady Audley's Secret is her best-known work, and has been filmed 4 times, most recently in 2000.

No Name (1862) by Wilkie Collins (1824 - 1889)

Collins (1824 - 1889) was a popular Victorian writer and friend of Charles Dickens, best-known for his mystery novels, particularly The Woman in White and The Moonstone.

Hard Cash (1863) by Charles Reade (1814 - 1884)

Reade (1814 - 1884) was an English dramatist and novelist, now largely unknown.

"The Renowned Dog Caesar" (1863) by Percy Hetherington Fitzgerald (1834–1925)

An account (mostly, perhaps entirely fictional) of a young boy's encounter with a theater Newf.

"Aylmer's Field" (1864) by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809 - 1892)

Tennyson was one of the most popular and influential poets of the mid-Victorian period.

Brother Jacob (1864) by George Eliot (1819 - 1880)

(George Eliot was the penname of English novelist Mary Anne Evans.) An experimental novel of social satire.

Henry Dunbar (1864) by Mary Elizabeth Braddon (1837 - 1915)

A prolific and popular Victorian writer of "sensation novels" and stories. This novel was first serialized from Sept. 1863 - Narch 1864, then revised by Braddon for book publication.

"Lilly and Her Newfoundland Dog" (?) by John Critchley Prince

Prince (1808 - 1866) was an English poet, little read now and not particularly well known even in his lifetime; he spent most of his life struggling with extreme poverty, a fact which the optimistic character of much of his verse belies.

Black Sheep (1866) by Edmund Yates

This novel includes a brief scene with a Newfoundland doing what was almost a cliché parlor-trick for Newfies by this point in the 19th Century: carrying a basket by the handle.

Shifting Winds: A Tough Yarn (1866) by R. M. Ballantyne

Cometh Up as a Flower (1867) by Rhoda Broughton (1840 - 1920)

Welsh novelist and short-story writer.

Under Two Flags (1867) by Ouida (1839 - 1908)

Pen name of the English novelist and animal rights activist Maria Louise Ramé (aka de la Ramée).

Guy May (1868 -1869)

This novel was serialized in Sporting Magazine, and in one installment a character tells a dramatic story about some nautical Newfoundlands.

Little Women (1868) by Louisa May Alcott

Alcott (1832 - 1888) is the American novelist best known for this much-loved classic.

The Baron's Sons (1869) by Maurus Jókai

Jókai (1825 – 1904) was a Hungarian writer and political figure.

Hunting the Lions (1869) by R. M . Ballantyne

Blacklock Forest (1869 - 70) by George Wightwick

Wightwick (1802 - 1872) was an English architect and architectural writer who also created a number of literary works including poems, novels, drama, and literary criticism.

The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands (1870) by R. M . Ballantyne

The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870) by Charles Dickens

Dickens' last novel, only half-completed when Dickens died.

Put Yourself in His Place (1870) by Charles Reade (1814 - 1884)

Reade (1814 - 1884) was an English dramatist and novelist, now largely unknown.

Stronger than Death (1870) by M. Sullivan

This serialized novel was published in the popular New Monthly Magazine in 1869 - 1870; I have not been able to identify this author.

"Up a Tree" (1870) by Anonymous

A Newfoundland figures prominently in this tall tale set in the American West.

Middlemarch (1871) by George Eliot

George Eliot was the penname of English novelist Mary Anne Evans (1819 - 1880). Widely regarded as one of the greatest Victorian novels, this work explores gender and human failing in the fictional village of Middlemarch.

A Terrible Temptation (1871) by Charles Reade (1814 - 1884)

Reade (1814 - 1884) was an English dramatist and novelist, now largely unknown.

Alice, or The Mysteries (1873) by Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1803 - 1873)

One of the novels that reveals Bulwer-Lytton's interest in occult matters later in his life (not unusual in the late Victorian period).

The Pillars of the House (1873) by Charlotte Mary Yonge

A prolific English novelist, and popular in her time, Yonge (1823 - 1901) is now little read.

Far From the Madding Crowd (1874) by Thomas Hardy (1840 - 1928)

Hardy's fourth novel, a complex and tragic love story.

The Ocean and Its Wonders (1874) by R. M. Ballantyne

Olympia (1874) by R. E. Francillon

A young orphaned girl befriends a Newf puppy — but not for long.

Dear Lady Disdain (1875) by Justin McCarthy

McCarthy was an Irish novelist and politician; this work has one incidental reference to a character's Newfoundland dog.

My Young Alcides (1875) by Charlotte Mary Yonge

A prolific English novelist, and popular in her time, Yonge (1823 - 1901) is now little read.

Rivers of Ice (1875) by R. M. Ballantyne

Miss Misanthrope (1877) by Justin McCarthy

McCarthy was an Irish novelist and politician; this work has one metaphorical reference to Newfoundlands.

McLeod of Dare (1878) by William Black (1841 - 1898)

Black was a Scottish journalist and novelist, quite popular in his time but nearly forgotten now.

A Love Episode (1878) by Emile Zola (1840 - 1902)

Zola is one of the most important literary figures of later 19th Century France, and a major proponent and practioner of literary naturalism.

Magnum Bonum (1879) by Charlotte Mary Yonge

A prolific English novelist, and popular in her time, Yonge (1823 - 1901) is now little read.

The Rover of the Andes: A Tale of Adventure in South America (1880) by R. M. Ballantyne

Esther (1884) by Henry Brooks Adams (1838 - 1918)

American journalist, writer, and academic.

Diana of the Crossways (1885) by George Meredith (1828 - 1909)

Meredith was an English poet and novelist.

The Bostonians (1885-86) by Henry James (1843 - 1916)

James' tragicomic novel involves a complex love triangle set in a context of early feminism

A Romance of Two Worlds (1886) by Maria Corelli

Corelli (1855 - 1924) was an English novelist, hugely popular if not critically respected in her time, known largely for her romances and "occult" tales, said to be Queen Victoria's favorite author. This novel's Newf is a prominent minor character, on a par with Pilot in Jane Eyre.

The Big Otter (1887) by R. M. Ballantyne

"To the Memory of a Newfoundland Dog" (1889) by Sibyl D. Wolcott

Wolcott was an American poet about who little is known.

Sylvie and Bruno (1889) by Lewis Carroll (1832 - 1898)

A little-known novel (with a sequel, Sylvie and Bruno Concluded) by the author of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.

Three Men in a Boat (1889) by Jerome K. Jerome

Jerome (1857 - 1927) was an English writer of novels and comic tales.

The Sign of Four (1890) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 - 1930)

One of the four Sherlock Holmes novels (in addition to the 56 Holmes short stories) by Doyle.

"Leo" (1891) by Richard Watson Gilder (1844 - 1909)

Gilder was an American poet and editor.

"Namgay Doola" (1891) by Rudyard Kipling (1865 - 1836)

A short story from Kipling's collection Life's Handicap.

Sylvie and Bruno Concluded (1893) by Lewis Carroll (1832 - 1898)

The sequel to Carroll's Sylvie and Bruno, again featuring a Landseer Newfoundland as King of the Dogs, although this time we see him in the "real" world.

God's Good Man (1894) by Maria Corelli (1855 - 1924)

English novelist, hugely popular if not critically respected in her time, known largely for her romances and "occult" tales, said to be Queen Victoria's favorite author. This is another Corelli novel in which a Newfoundland is mentioned frequently, almost to the point of being a minor character.

Effi Briest (1895) by Theodor Fontane (1819 - 1898)

A Newfoundland named Rollo provides emotional support to his mistress in this romantic tragedy by an important 19th-Century German writer.

The Ghost Ship (1901? 1911?) by John C. Hutcheson (1840 - 1897)

One of many sea stories by a prolific late-Victorian English writer.

Abroad with the Jimmies (1902) by Lilian Bell

Bell (1867 - 1929) was an American writer, primarily of novels.

The Call of the Wild (1903) by Jack London (1876 - 1916)

London's best-known work, a classic tale of a dog's return to nature (and of the human brutality that drives him there).

The Four Corners Abroad (1909) by Amy E. Blanchard (1854 - 1926)

Blanchard was a prolific American author of children's books, primarily for girls.

Celt and Saxon (1910) by George Meredith (1828 - 1909)

English poet and novelist.

Peter Pan (1911) by J. M. Barrie (1860 - 1937)

Originally a 1902 story, then a stage play, then another book, then the famous 1911 novel Peter Pan and Wendy (now known as Peter Pan), this children's classic features a Newfoundland, perhaps the most famous in literature: Nana.

The Financier (1912) by Theodore Dreiser (1871 - 1945)

American novelist best known for Sister Carrie.

The Titan (1914) by Theodore Dreiser (1871 - 1945)

The sequel to Dreiser's The Financier.

King Coal (1917) by Upton Sinclair

Sinclair (1878 - 1968) was a prolific American writer and political activist best known for The Jungle.

The Age of Innocence (1920) by Edith Wharton (1862 - 1937)

One of Wharton's classic novels (filmed several times, most recently in 1993).

The Garden of the Plynck (1920) by Karle Wilson Baker

An American writer and poet, Baker (1878 - 1960) wrote several works for children; this is her best-known, although Baker does not seem to be much-read today.

Main Street (1920) by Sinclair Lewis

Lewis (1885 - 1951) was the first American writer to win the Nobel Prize; this, a largely satiric look at small-town life, is his best-known novel.

The Secret Power (1921) by Maria Corelli (1855 - 1924)

English novelist, hugely popular if not critically respected in her time, known largely for her romances and "occult" tales, said to be Queen Victoria's favorite author.

Jacob's Room (1922) by Virginia Woolf

Woolf (1882 - 1941) is an extremely important and influential 20th Century English writer.

Ulysses (1922) by James Joyce

Joyce (1882 - 1941) was an Irish writer, one of the major figures of literary modernism, best known for Ulysses and Finnegan's Wake.

"The Adventure of the Creeping Man" (1923) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 - 1930)

One of Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories.

"Carlo" (1923) by E. J. Pratt

A poem about a Newf mix performing a heroic sea rescue.

The Virgin and the Gypsy (1930) by D. H. Lawrence (1885 - 1930)

An examination of stifling conventionality in an English village by the author best known for Lady Chatterley's Lover.

Far Away and Long Ago (1931) by William Henry Hudson

Hudson (1841 - 1922), an author and naturalist, was American by birth but spent most of his youth in Argentina and his adult life in England. He was particularly known for his ornithological work.

Flush: A Biography (1933) by Virginia Woolf (1882 - 1941)

A partly fictionalized biography of Victorian poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, told from the perspective of her dog, Flush, an English cocker spaniel.

Between the Acts (1941) by Virginia Woolf (1882 - 1941)

Woolf's last novel, set just before the outbreak of WWII and concerned with history and change as encountered in a small English village.

Post Captain (1972) by Patrick O'Brian

A couple of passing references to Newfoundlands in the second of O'Brian's famous "Aubrey/Maturin" series of historical sea novels.

The Mauritius Command (1977) by Patrick O'Brian

A passing reference to a Newfoundland in the fourth of O'Brian's famous "Aubrey/Maturin" series of historical sea novels.

Desolation Island (1978) by Patrick O'Brian

An actual Newfoundland shows up in this, the fifth of O'Brian's famous "Aubrey/Maturin" series of historical sea novels.

The World According to Garp (1978) by John Irving (1942 - )

Irving's most well-known novel includes an early incident with an uncharacteristic Newf.

Patriot Games (1987) by Tom Clancy (1947 - 2013)

One of the "Jack Ryan" novels by this popular author of espionage / military thrillers.

Chasing Stanley (2007) by Deirdre Martin

A romance novel featuring a hockey player and his Newf.

The Condor's Feather (2009) by Margaret Muir

A tale of adventure in South America, with Newfs.

The Anne Marie (2011) by Israel Parker

A Newf loses his beloved family — now what?

Yukon Justice (2021) by Dana Mentink

A Newf is featured in this romance of danger in Alaska.

Gunner's Island (2023) by R. R. Holzhauer / illust. by Rebecca Lyons

A pilot returning from WWII struggles to fit back in to civilian life — until a special Newfoundland befriends him.

Newfs in Literature

Newfoundlands in Fiction and Poetry