Martin Marten

I bought this book back in the fall, started it, put it down for a few months, and have picked it up again. I am so glad I did. Brian Doyle was a prolific Portland writer, who sadly passed in 2017 at the age of 61. His writing is described as “quirky,” and I get that, but I describe it as circuitous; he starts a long passage, many times in one sentence, covers multiple topics, then weaves it back to its original subject. Masterful. Martin Marten is set on the east side of nearby Mt. Hood, Oregon, and relates the story of the relationship of a 14 year old boy, and an elusive, growing marten. I easily admit I knew nothing about martens, but I learned much about them after reading this book. I highly recommend anything of Brian Doyle you can get your hands on. What a terrific writer, and what a loss to the literary community.