Matt McMahon

Species of One. Matt McMahon. 2021. Phil Kyle is an emotionally constipated real estate agent who retires to a cabin in the woods of upstate New York. He has this peaceful life planned, as usual, things don’t work out. On his first day he runs into a hunter who becomes nasty when Phil asks him not to hunt on his property. Phil’s desire to avoid people slowly changes as he meets an veteran and his family who insist on friendship and a young priest who acts as a matchmaker. Phil’s awakening to a new life filled with friends is a good story. The book is full of descriptions about the calligraphy process, the way a wood stove works, the mountains and Eastern religions. I enjoyed it, but it was strange to read about a priest involved in eastern mysticism… (more)