Customer Reviews

On Whale Island: Notes from a Place I Never Meant to Leave

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Daniel Hays, who happens to own an Island off the shore of Nova Scotia, apparently became disenchanted with his life and was able to talk his wife into joining him for one year, with their child (actually, Daniel's step son), and two dogs, and live on this remote hunk of rock. I have to admit I enjoyed ever word of the story of their adventure there.

Hays has an easy style to his writing that keeps the story going in a pleasing way. I note that this work has come under some criticism for various reason, some, somewhat justified, some so far out in left field, that I am not sure if the reviews and I read the same book. The author does do a very good job of relating the different attitude that he and his wife take as to this adventure. Yes, they do look at it a bit differently. This is as it should be. To somehow get the impression that the author has less than a good opinion of women is stretching things a bit. If you want to take that route, then the same thing could be said of his wife's attitude toward men. Part of this story is about the relationship between a husband and wife in a situation which is not the greatest. People are going to act differently to situations, and gender has little to do with it. I enjoyed the writer's honesty. He did not gloss over their little arguments and was honest enough to admit that not all was peaches and cream. Again, that is as it should be.

Hays does spend quite a bit of paper contemplating the meaning of his life. Many of his views I certainly do not share, but hey, this was not MY story, it was his. Just because I would have done things differently and just because I may perceive the situations that came up differently, and acted accordingly, does not lessen the author's work, or, its validity. Actually, I rather enjoyed this aspect of the book. I found myself repeatedly asking, "now what would I have done had I been in the author's shoes?" I suspect you could take twenty people and come up with twenty different answers.

The author does have the ability to laugh at himself. There is no "back to nature chest beating" here. He, Hays, told it more or less the way it was. He allowed us to see his families' experience, warts and all. He allows us to see himself, warts and all. The author is indeed flawed, but there is no attempt made to cover this up or justify. I loved his description of the family dogs and their adventures and their relationship with their human partners. Anyone who lives with dogs will appreciate this.

All in all, this was a pleasing read. The author certainly did not do things the way I would have done them, and certainly received his motivation from sources which I could not relate to, but that is fine. We are all different, and again, that is as it should be.

Don't pick this book up expecting to read about a Rambo type of guy against the wilderness, or a family of disenfranchised hippies wanting to live off the land and weave baskets or, well...you get the point. It is a fun read, a different read, enjoy it for what it is, a year in the life of a man, woman, young boy and two dogs. Note: Had it been me, I would certainly have at least started on a warm island and not a frozen hunk of rock. But then I am getting old and truly hate cold weather.

I LOVED this book! So few memoirists are able to write completely honestly, instead usually holding up some kind of complimentary or tidying prism on the experience with the effect of sanitizing and fictionalizing the end result ... not so here. I am actually surprised at a couple of the other reviewers' comments...misogynist? Just because he's honest enough to look at how he and his wife respond differently to the same situation? And anyone who lives with dogs will laugh out loud at Dan's detailed descriptions of some of the drawbacks of living in close quarters with them - and yes we love them but it can get disgusting. I think in a way it was as brave of Dan to choose to live in close quarters with his family on an island for a year - without the buffer of modern comforts - as it must have been to round Cape Horn in a sailboat. Anyway, anyone who likes to read about family, dogs or is interested in one person's examination of his attempt to get closer to an honest life experience by escaping the mainland should read this.

It was as if he was in the room with us. We listened to Daniel Hays read from On Whale Island and it mesmerized us! We smiled, we cried and nearly pee'd in our pants at the stories he told. Stories about his brave adventure on a deserted island with his small family. I personally loved it so much because they did what I always wanted to do. Throw off convention, wake up and go 'out there'.
Told with honesty, humor and tenderness. I did not want it to end!

I am a voracious reader and can honestly say I have never read anything quite like this book before. It throws a little punch at you on just about every page. It is written in a cocky, sharply humorous narrative that keeps you snorting and turning the page. It will make you laugh, contemplate life, relationships, and running water (and all those other things we take for granted). Dan's adventures (and misadventures) will make you cringe, reflect and laugh out loud.

Dan Hays captured the spirit of Whale Island very well. As someone who appreciates the nature writing genre, I was impressed by his graphic descriptions of the scenery and of events as they unfolded. Maybe the biggest compliment of all is that it rarely dawned on me that Dan Hays was working on the book each day, as the story unfolded; in other words, I became entirely engrossed in the story of a small family living their lives on an island off the Canadian coast.

Dan Hays might also be recognized for his honesty. I appreciated the way -- both positive and negative -- that he let himself, his wife and his son come through. All this adds up, in my mind, to a very realistic and engaging story.

Ever wonder what it would be like to drop evertything and live on a wilderness island? Ever wish you could take a year off and emerse yourself in ocean storms, home baked rye bread, and family fun with trying to stay clean? How would you collect enough fresh water and stay warm? What would you do if you encountered a football field sized moss bog or a washed up whale? What would it be like to find yourself bathed in acid while using the ferocity of a mid-night gale to charge your power supply? Daniel Hays wanted to "live in the moment"; in a series of "nows". He shares every aspect of his experience with us and it is compelling reading. He has many insights and turns to his background in literature, psychology, spirituality, and adventure to find meaning. I looked forward to each day he described, laughed a lot, and got a glimpse of a way of life I would like to experience someday. Mr. Hays never meant to leave Whale Island...what would you do?

Daniel does it again. Gets out there and shocks the hell out of us while amusing us no end. This is a fast fun read. Leave it in the privy, or take it on a boat or to the summer cottage. Or read it one the subway. It makes for great escape, is truly funny and sweet.Sometimes I think I know this guy....

After reading Mr. Hay's first book I thought that he couldn't possibly have another adventure up his sleeve worthy of a second tale. He proved me wrong, however, and has created a wonderfully poinant, entertaining tale of he and his family's adventures on this tiny spec in the Atlantic. In doing so he has once and for all proven that he is an acomplished storyteller, worth putting everything else on hold for. Bravo!

I bought this book thinking that the author was going to describe his activities while living on an island in Nova Scotia in a self sustaining manner. He doesn't. He purchases an island, moves there with his wife and step son, and then publishes his daily notes concerning his moods, relationships (which are not always pleasant), and how he passes the time. He regularly motors to the mainland to buy food and do laundry. They grow nothing, except a failed attempt at sod (SOD?). He fires off a hundred or so shotgun shells, and kills two ducks. Most of the local food is provided by his mainland neighbors. I would have much rather read about their lives than his. At times he waxes philosophical about the evils and pitfalls of our society, especially television. Then he states he has a heavy chemical dependency. This is not one of the better "how I did it on my own" books that I've read.

On Whale Island is my top pick of books read for the year. Neither my husband or I could put it down. Boldly honest and pee your pants funny, the book lived a fantasy that I've had in my heart for as long as I can remember. But beyond all the humor, the book raises the big questions about how we choose to live our lives. This book's a keeper and one to be reread.