R.E.A.L., from the Edge of the Rock

R.E.A.L., from the Edge of the Rock, Rita Mary Stamp, memoir 304 pp., photos, Ghosts, myths, ‘old country’ superstition, rigid religious dogma, harsh school discipline and the cyclicalpoverty of mid-Century Newfoundland outports provide the context and content for this fascinating 60 year memoir. Unusual sightings, the presence of ghosts in the family home, belief in fairies and superstitions were all a part of growing up in the village. She also grew up in fear: angst related to her father’s harsh discipline, as well as threat-based schooling deeply rooted in rote learning and religious rites. “Forty years later and much personal work, she sees that choice, and her home and home land in a very different light.” This story parallels the conditions and situations in many smaller, rural Canadian communities in the 1940s-1960s, especially for women. A true page turner once you begin.