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The Shepherd's Life
- Narrated by: Bryan Dick
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
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The Shepherd's Life
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Summary
From James Rebanks, the Herdwick Shepherd, comes The Shepherd's Life, a story of the Lake District and its people which could redefine the literature of rural life.
Some people's lives are entirely their own creations. James Rebanks' isn't. The first son of a shepherd, who was the first son of a shepherd himself, he and his family have lived and worked in and around the Lake District for generations. Their way of life is ordered by the seasons and the work they demand and has been for hundreds of years. A Viking would understand the work they do: sending the sheep to the fells in the summer and making the hay; the autumn fairs where the flocks are replenished; the gruelling toil of winter, when the sheep must be kept alive, and the lightheadedness that comes with spring, as the lambs are born and the sheep get ready to return to the fells.
These modern dispatches from an ancient landscape tell the story of a deep-rooted attachment to place, describing a way of life that is little noticed and yet has profoundly shaped this landscape. In evocative and lucid prose, James Rebanks takes us through a shepherd's year, offering a unique account of rural life and a fundamental connection with the land that most of us have lost. It is a story of working lives, the people around him, his childhood, and his parents and grandparents, a people who exist and endure even as the world changes around them. Many stories are of people working desperately hard to leave a place. This is the story of someone trying desperately hard to stay.
James Rebanks is the Herdwick Shepherd, whose account of shepherding has a strong following on Twitter (@herdyshepherd1). His family has farmed in the same area for more than 600 years.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mark McIntosh
- 12-10-18
great insight into farming in the Lake District
a motivating story whilst maintaining the humble nature of farming in the Lake District. The
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 15-02-19
Joyous!!
A story of hard work, hope, family, inspiration and love of the area and the fast disappearing old ways of farming. Beautifully crafted and the narration was equally impressive. Comfortably the best book I have listened to for sometime. Makes me want to become a better person. Fabulous.
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- Mandie
- 29-10-20
An honest and absorbing book.
A ‘real’ story of life on the fells that takes you right into the landscape. Not sentimental or lyrical and all the more engaging for that. Very authentically narrated. I found it a very grounding read in an increasingly artificial world; a reality we all need to be reminded of.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- James
- 29-06-15
Fantastic
As a farmers son (and grandson) this book has several familiar themes! Essential listening for anyone wanting to understand the farming way of life. Thank you.
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- MrMagika'sleftventricle
- 25-03-17
Wonderful listen
Really enjoyed that. Found it absolutely spellbinding. The imagery, the passion for being a shepherd and the appreciation for all that's gone before and will come after. A simple tale, but the best book I've listened too in some time. Learnt a great deal too.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- M. Brown
- 23-11-19
Brilliant
If you have any farming links ... a must read. Captures it so so well. If you don't read it to get a real insight.
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- E Reid
- 04-08-21
A magnificent humbling book
Vivid and moving with a heartfelt realism, passion and pride. An honest evocation with a hard, weathered sense of belonging to an way of life and particular landscape - eloquently told. Absolutely five stars. The best book I have read/heard for a very long time.
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- John Hayes
- 12-07-15
Honest, passionate & really interesting....
Would you listen to The Shepherd's Life again? Why?
I have, several times and each time I found something new to enjoy.
What did you like best about this story?
His honesty and his passion for his trade, plus the way he brings each chapter to life. It is genuinely a great story to listen to.
Which scene did you most enjoy?
His trip to London was funny & sad where he worked for a while. Maybe he could relate to the sheep in London, except that they treat 'sheep' better in the Lake District.
If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
A tale of a hard life...
Any additional comments?
This is a genuine and honest book that is well read and will keep you coming back for more. It is SO much more then a book about being a shepherd, it is evocative, entertaining and moving at times, but always very honest...a must read!
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- d
- 04-11-16
A fantastic story wonderfully read
This book makes you rethink your values when hearing about shepherds who work incredibly hard not for money but for the sheep, the farm and because they belong to a culture which is ancient and important. The book is structured so it moves through time from grandfather to James as well as through the seasons and the shepherds work. Rebanks shows the skill, knowledge and grit it takes to build up and maintain the herd of Herdwick sheep. Fascinating.
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- susiebee
- 13-03-17
Brilliant
Poignant explanation of the different perspective of farmers and incomers. Hopefully incomers will read this and be more respectful of the work and lifestyle od those who maintain their "wilderness"
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