When an East Coat city slicker heads to the rural Pacific Northwest to make peace with his terminal diagnosis, he’s surprised to discover an opportunity to live authentically instead.
When Stewart Waldon heads out to the Pacific Northwest by bus, he has one goal in mind. A life-changing medical diagnosis has prompted him to make arrangements to go out on his own terms. After days of living off the land, camping roughly, and reflecting on his life and the world around him, unexpected interference thwarts his plans. Ready to give life another chance, Stewart ventures to a nearby ranch where he finds work, and it changes the rest of his life.
Soon, Stewart is immersed in working as a ranch hand and earnestly trying to win over Annie, the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. But increasing tensions in the area over the value of old growth forests threatens his new-found happiness.
Elderly ranch owner Ned has a deep respect for his land and values responsible stewardship of it; however, his son Butch sees nothing but the money he could sell the old-growth trees and land access for. Butch resents anyone he perceives as standing in his way, including Stewart—especially as Stewart gets closer to Annie. As overlapping tensions between Stewart and Butch, Butch and Ned, and Stewart and Annie increase, the potential for bloodshed becomes real.
Author Rick Donahoe’s generously drawn cast of characters work through familiar struggles—between parents and their adult children, conservationists and capitalists, men and women, and man against himself—that are layered and tightly plotted in this slim book.
Where the Deer and the Antelope Play gives off a timeless vibe that will resonate. The writing is comfortably paced and utterly lyrical in describing the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, making it a delightful book with sincere depth and genuine humor.
While the book does touch on hot-button issues like logging and ecological conservation, Donahoe’s approach is focused first on good storytelling. The author’s background in resource conservation and his experience living in a community where lumber mills kept the local economy afloat make the story feel authentic. Donahoe clearly cares about every word and the distinct shade of meaning it conveys.
For readers who relish good writing as much as they do a good, engaging story, Where the Deer and the Antelope Play is an easy, satisfying choice.
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