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.

The person who read the story made it come alive!!

Really enjoyed this audio book. I think listening to the book made it even better than it would have been had I read it myself. There were many places where I smile or laughed out loud.a very sweet story!

Author AND narrator

I will continue to read and listen to this author. So happy that I started with Mink River.

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.