Proulx has come to publishing novels later in life than most contemporary authors. Yet her fame has been immediate and her work has won significant literary awards which most critics and reviewers think are merited. Lauded for the density of her language, the wealth of lore which the books reveal, and the encyclopedic range of subjects addressed, Proulx's books have much to say. Just as they are about the realities of life and are set in a real place, so too they make use of symbolism and metaphor. Consequently, they provide a variety of topics for discussion.

In The Shipping News, Proulx is interested in such topics as knots, the sea, the small town newspaper trade, saltwater fishing lore, the rules of sailing, shipwrecks, weather and its effects on the Newfoundlanders, their patois, their superstitions, and their saga.

Discussion of the setting alone would appeal to...