author
Erle Spencer
1897–1937
A Newfoundland novelist whose adventure stories drew on the sea, outports, and the hard edges of coastal life, he built a surprisingly rich body of work before dying young. His books are remembered for their strong sense of place and brisk, story-first energy.
1 Audiobook
Contraband: A Tale of Modern Smugglers
by Erle Spencer
About the author
Born in Fortune, Newfoundland, in July 1897, he grew up in an outport world that later shaped much of his fiction. Local historical accounts say illness disrupted his schooling from an early age, but he went on to become a prolific writer whose work appeared in novels, short fiction, and newspaper columns.
Archival records describe him as the author of nine novels, along with an unknown number of newspaper pieces. His published books include Contraband: A Tale of Modern Smugglers and other sea-going adventures rooted in Newfoundland settings and maritime life.
He died in 1937, still only about forty years old. Even with a short life, he left behind a notable shelf of fiction and a lasting place in Newfoundland literary history.