After generations of prosperity in the mining town of Brighton, Newfoundland, Jack and Angela McCarthy find themselves unemployed. In order to keep his family together, Jack accepts a job at a gold mine in the wilds of northern Alberta. Arriving in Foxville, the McCarthys find themselves resented, bullied, and cast as outsiders. When Jack's best friend, Peter, is swindled out of his savings and resorts to stealing from the mine, his attempts at reversing their fortunes thrust both families into even deeper torment. A powerful, poetic novel dealing with the effects of poverty, the harshness and beauty of Canada's north, the perils of theft, and the timeless value of community and family among displaced Newfoundlanders, Saltwater Cowboys is a classic cautionary tale that presents a stark glimpse into the lives of families struggling to survive in unfamiliar terrain.