The Plover

By: Brian Doyle

Narrated by: David Drummond

Declan O Donnell has sailed out of Oregon and deep into the vast, wild ocean, having had just finally enough of other people and their problems. He will go it alone, he will be his own country, he will be beholden to and beloved of no one. No man is an island, my butt, he thinks. I am that very man....

But the galaxy soon presents him with a string of odd, entertaining, and dangerous passengers, who become companions of every sort and stripe. The Plover is the story of their adventures and misadventures in the immense blue country one of their company calls Pacifica. Hounded by a mysterious enemy, reluctantly acquiring one new resident after another, Declan O Donnell's lonely boat is eventually crammed with humor, argument, tension, and a resident herring gull.

Brian Doyle's The Plover is a sea novel, a maritime adventure, the story of a cold man melting, a compendium of small miracles, an elegy to Edmund Burke, a watery quest, a battle at sea - and a rapturous, heartfelt celebration of life's surprising paths, planned and unplanned.

©2014 Brian Doyle (P)2014 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A rare and unusual book and a brilliant, mystical exploration of the human spirit." ( Kirkus, Starred Review)

Poetry, the sea and finally story

Would you listen to The Plover again? Why?

I would listen again for the lyrical writing and the performance of the reader.

What did you like best about this story?

The language, best done on audible as I think the performance made the words come
to life. I liked Mink River a little better but Plover was a great listen.

What does David Drummond bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

As I have said, Mr. Drummond's performance makes the book come alive and he is able to capture the lyrical quality of the language, like Shakespeare, some things are better read out loud.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Incredible Voyage

Too long

I liked the book ok though it was too long. Descriptions of places, people and events would go on and on. The reader was also ok.

Plover is a gem

This is one of my favorite stories of all time. Great story beautifully written and beautifully performed on audio. Brian Doyle is an amazing story teller, with great wit and word play plus a gentleness and compassion for all beings, that I so appreciate.

Yes, I’m using “is” despite his passing, because I think he would appreciate the fact that part of him is still telling stories. Part of his essence continues on, enriching our lives, leading us to wonder and wander in the natural and spiritual realms.

Stunning, magical story.

I loved everything about this book. It takes the listener into a magical kingdom of people, water and birds.

When you get into it, it says good as his other work

The story takes place after Doyle‘s other book about life on the Pacific Northwest west coast. If you liked the first book, then you should read this one! Once you get into it, you will find it is absolutely wonderful and almost as good as his first. Just get it trust me.

Fecking Feck,

I had just finished listening to Mink River and looked forward to The Plover. I was not disappointed! Loved it.

The Plover soars as a rollicking, frolicking, meaningful sea story.

What a treat to discover Brian Doyle's stories did not end on the last page of Mink River! Declan continues to show us ways to face challenges of life and death among sea birds, friends and foes as his solitary journey accumulates a ship full of fascinating characters.

Brian Doyle does it again!

Like the Mink River flowing into the great Pacific, “the Plover” flows out of the stories landscape of “Mink River” with the same level of excellence, aplomb, and joy in the face and belly of the tragedy that is life.

writing style

I loved the characters and the ocean setting, the love shared between them all, as well as the sea and bird life woven throughout the story.

Great if you like talking birds.

Very bizarre book. The author spent most of his time philosophizing, repeating the same thing five or six times and listening to gulls talk. Almost no plot. You’ve met people who just want to talk, but never really say anything? This guy does the same thing with his writing.