Martha's Vineyard is a well known summer vacation spot. In this collection of columns, former Martha's Vineyard Times editor Nelson Sigelman describes an island preoccupation, less notorious than tourism but more obsessive, rooted in fishing, hunting and waterfowling traditions that shaped the island's character well before a mechanical shark named Bruce and presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama attracted slavish media attention to a 100-square mile speck off the coast of Massachusetts.Martha's Vineyard Outdoors casts a wide net. "The pleasures of Nelson Sigelman's distinctive voice held this non-fishing, non-hunting, feminist, tree-hugging pinko spellbound from the first column to the very last," said Island resident and Pulitzer Prize winning author Geraldine Brooks.The setting is Martha's Vineyard but the stories are rooted in the humor and love of the outdoors found in small communities across the country. "The pleasures of Nelson Sigelman's distinctive voice held this non-fishing, non-hunting, feminist, tree-hugging pinko spellbound from the first essay to the very last." -- Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize winning author, Martha's Vineyard resident. "Martha's Vineyard Outdoors" -- a collection of hunting and fishing columns produced by Sigelman for The Martha's Vineyard Times, a weekly newspaper that he joined in 1989 -- is charming, perceptive, poignant and idiosyncratic. A passionate outdoorsman who is ever-curious and often humorous, he made friends swiftly and became immersed in the Vineyard's history as a haven for those who hunt and fish." -- Nelson Bryant, retired outdoor columnist for the New York Times "These are not tall tales. Nelson's columns are securely and fondly anchored in small events and ordinary folk, among the fishermen and hunters and their loved ones, that he has gotten to know close up. In these stories there are smiles, tears, hits and misses. They are all real and warmly told." -- Doug Cabral, Island newspaperman, editor and author Nelson is a natural storyteller who has brought alive so much of the character, people and pastimes of the island. I loved reading this book. -- Kay Goldstein, author, longtime Chilmark seasonal resident Martha's Vineyard attracts celebrities and a wealthy seasonal population. It is often popularized in the national media as a liberal enclave where the principal activity is attending fundraisers and cocktail parties. But the Island I know and love is rooted in outdoor traditions and activities that would be familiar to anyone who has lived in a small community. That is the Island I describe in 'Martha's Vineyard Outdoors." Living and working for a small island community newspaper, as I did for 27 years, is an intimate affair. Readers know where to find you and they do not hesitate to share compliments or complaints. I've received my share of both. The best reader compliments were often communicated to me by way of my patient wife Norma. More often than not a reader would stop her in the aisle of the grocery store and preface his or her remarks with the qualifier, "I don't fish or hunt but ..." and proceed to tell her how much he or she had enjoyed a recent column. This book was written for everyone who enjoys stories about people, irrespective of any interest in fishing or hunting. Nelson Sigelman worked for 27 years at The Martha's Vineyard Times where he was a reporter, later news editor, and from 2014 to October 2016, editor of the award winning weekly newspaper. For 26 years he wrote a popular weekly fishing column and occasional hunting column. He has been honored by the Outdoor Writers Association of America and the New England Outdoor Writers Association for his column writing and he is a member of the prestigious Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby Hall of Fame. Nelson lives with his wife Norma in Vineyard Haven. For more information go to marthasvineyardoutdoors.com.