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I don’t know when my love for Montana started; it must have been after reading A river runs through it (Norman Maclean) or The whistling season, also by Ivan Doig, but all I know is that Montana is my favourite place in the world, even though I have never been there.
English Creek is a fictional place in Montana, set in the land of the Two Medicine river where the narrator, Jick McCaskill, a fourteen-year-old boy, lives with his family just after the Great Depression. The story starts when Alec, Jick’s brother, announces to the family that he has decided not to go to university because he is going to marry his girlfriend and he would rather work and live with her. The summer is definitely going to be quite different because this time Jick will be the only one to help his father, a forest officer, with the summer work.
So we are taken through the Two Medicine lands, over the mountains adjacent to Canada, in order to do cattle counting with the McCaskills as well as supplying the farmers who live all the summer far from the villages; or fighting against the forest fires in a time when a crew of one hundred men had to extinguish the fire with no more than their bare hands. But not only is the summer a season for working hard; there is also spare time, like the party of 4 July when Jick meets his family and friends and stories about the first pioneers who came to Montana are told again and again.
My Spanish copy of the book, in “my” English Creek (my village)
This is a novel about a way of life rather than the story of Jick himself; thanks to him we know all kinds of people who lived and worked there at that time, which is also the beginning of changes owing to the big companies that competed with the farmers and, many times, made them give up and look for another place to start again.
It may be slow sometimes, but this is not the kind of book in which you would find a plot full of action; you are going to meet remarkable characters and a boy who is still not a man, but even so is beginning to make up his mind about where and how he wants to live, while thinking of his changing family: Alec is the great absence of the summer, but somehow he is present in every page and Jick talks about it with a great sense of humor.
English Creek was first published in 1984, but I discovered this author recently when a Spanish publishing house began to translate his novels a couple of years ago. I loved The whistling season and I was looking forward to reading more stories set in Montana when English Creek came to Spain – once I got my copy I thought I couldn’t be happier but yes indeed, I was absolutely delighted to read on Goodreads that this is the first book in a trilogy, which means that I will be back in Montana pretty soon 😀 .
From Isi 
I’ve never read a novel that’s set in Montana, but I know what you mean when you fall in love with a setting/country based on the novels you read. It’s kind of the same for me with Spain, I’ve read so many books about it, that I can’t wait to see it for myself (and ofcourse France too)
About the book, I’m not sure if the book is something that I would pick up by myself, but it sounds like a light read 🙂
Yes, I think you would like to know Montana and add another wonderful place in your to-visit list 😉 Seriously, I loved it.
Sounds like an interesting read. I do not mind slow books if you notice that adds more to the characters and atmosphere.
That is exactly what happens with this book: the atmosphere and the characters are enchanting!
English Creek sounds intriguing. Thanks for the great recommendation.
It’s a kind of “modern classic”, as I’ve read. Very enjoyable; it makes you be there in the fields of Montana; I really think I know the place a little 😉
My love form Montana started whith The whistling season and I’m trying to read this novel to fall in love again (and again and again).
You’ll fall in love, Loque, and then you won’t want to come back. I promise!
This sounds wonderful and your village looks beautiful in that picture – not that different from Montana. I live in Colorado, several hours south of Montana, but very similar in landscape. His newest, Sweet Thunder (also set in Montana), came out just over a month ago and has been on my radar to read. Riverhead offered me a copy, I might try and take them up on that offer now!
I didn’t know this author keeps on writing, which is wonderful news 😀
I absolutely recommend to accept the book; I’m sure it will be a pleasant read, Rory! This man loves Montana and you see it in every page.
Hola Isi!!! No sabía que tenías este blog inglés. A partir de ahora lo voy a seguir también jejeje Ayer mismo he empezado unas clases de inglés para intentar sacarme el CAE. Hace como 9 años que no toco el inglés, pero en su día aprobé el First y me apetece ahora que estoy asentada y he terminado el master, volver a estudiar idiomas, ya que me encantan. Después de contarte mi historia en español espero poder en poco tiempo recuperar el nivel que tenía y hablar directamente contigo en inglés…participar en tus actividades y demás. Ahora estoy empezando a onerme a leer en inglés de nuevo….me está costando un poco, pero he empezado por los libros de niveles de Cambridge. A ver si a partir del año que viene ya me pongo con libros normales….Ya te iré contando como voy…y a ver si en el futuro me animo yo también a ahcer reseñas en inglés y demás…de momento estoy super floja no me acuerdo de mucho así que me tendré que esforzar.
Y ahora sí….a partir de el próximo comentario en este blog lo dejaré en inglés para ir perdiendo la verguenza y mejorando que es lo que busco. Besos
jeje me alegro de que te hayas pasado por aquí 🙂
El año que viene entonces no te libras de participar en el reto in English!!
Muchos ánimos y a por ello!
Of course I will participate!!! jejeje
Great!
Not only do I want to read this book now, in addition to also visiting Montana!
So we should go together… someday!
Done and done!
I don’t know exactly where Montana is, but I know the landscape enough, the setting makes for some compelling stories. Considering your love for it, I hope you are able to visit it some time 🙂
hehe thanks, Charlie! The country itself is another character in the book, and it’s like you get to know it pretty good!
I love this author!
Thank you for this, Isi. It sounds like a beautiful book where the landscape really is at the heart of the story. And this is actually the first time I’ve heard of Ivan Doig! I’m very pleased that you’ll have more books to look forward to in this trilogy – I know how exciting it is to suddenly find that a story you thought was over hasn’t ended at all. Enjoy your fictional Montanas… and like the others, I hope you get to go there one day. 😉
😀 Yes, I’ve enjoy this author a lot, and I hope I’m going to keep on reading his novels.
I can’t believe he is not popular everywhere! I suppose that, since he writes only about a certain place and time, perhaps not many people (publishing houses) have felt interested in his novels.
Anyway, absolutely recommended; it’s beautiful when a book can make you love other places of the world!