The Shepherds Life

[Exfarmer]

i apologise if this has been posted before, or is considered to be in the wrong place.
I have just had the pleasure of reading this wonderful book by James Rebanks.
I think that all farmers can so easily identify with his family history and personal biography, even if we have not ourselves gone on to Oxford university after dropping out of school.
His description of life on a small hill sheep farm in the Lake District had me alternately in stitches then tears. I rather suspect many may know him.
His description of life in the farming community is one which will be recognised by most members on here and it should be made available to all School teachers in rural areas. He so ably details the failings of the education system in dealing with agriculturally minded children. I think most of us will aknowledge too that we could have worked a lot harder at school if we had not been looking out of the windows so much.

 

[kfpben]

Very good book. Like the author I spent most of my school days and even University wishing I was in a field rather than a classroom. My dad is originally from Cumbria and loved it too.

 

[JohnGalway]

Have it here, great great book that everyone should buy, was recommended to me by an English doctor working here when I was going through a tough patch. Don't think I could have done what he did

 

[Shadow]

I have that one too. Great book which now lives in my guest room to educate visitors Farming needs more ambassadors like him.

 

[yellowbelly]

+1
A great book. I believe it rode high in the best seller lists when it first came out, so hopefully it will have reached a wider audience that just farmers.

 

[SilliamWhale]

Now ive been shying away from it as I thought it may have been a bit James Herrioty and a bit twee but now you've given me a gen up on it perhaps I'll give it a go

 

[Cab-over Pete]

I read it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Someone then gave us The Yorkshire Shepherdess by Amanda Owen, which is also a great read.

 

[le bon paysan]

i apologise if this has been posted before, or is considered to be in the wrong place.
I have just had the pleasure of reading this wonderful book by James Rebanks.
I think that all farmers can so easily identify with his family history and personal biography, even if we have not ourselves gone on to Oxford university after dropping out of school.
His description of life on a small hill sheep farm in the Lake District had me alternately in stitches then tears. I rather suspect many may know him.
His description of life in the farming community is one which will be recognised by most members on here and it should be made available to all School teachers in rural areas. He so ably details the failings of the education system in dealing with agriculturally minded children. I think most of us will aknowledge too that we could have worked a lot harder at school if we had not been looking out of the windows so much.

Wife gave it to me as a present, I loved the book.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Talking of Schools , I think its sad that none in my experience cover their local village history in any detail

 

[SilliamWhale]

Talking of Schools , I think its sad that none in my experience cover their local village history in any detail

Big project going on in ours at the moment. We recently found some medieval pottery and some mesolithic flints in the old walled garden on the farm here. The mesolthic stuff is quite significant - somebody was chopping them up nearly 10000 years ago

 

[Bury the Trash]

If you like reading .."Red sky at night" by J. Barrington is a nice read...

 

[roscoe erf]

It was serialised on r adio 4 a while back think there was a thread on here

 

[The Ruminant]

i apologise if this has been posted before, or is considered to be in the wrong place.
I have just had the pleasure of reading this wonderful book by James Rebanks.
I think that all farmers can so easily identify with his family history and personal biography, even if we have not ourselves gone on to Oxford university after dropping out of school.
His description of life on a small hill sheep farm in the Lake District had me alternately in stitches then tears. I rather suspect many may know him.
His description of life in the farming community is one which will be recognised by most members on here and it should be made available to all School teachers in rural areas. He so ably details the failings of the education system in dealing with agriculturally minded children. I think most of us will aknowledge too that we could have worked a lot harder at school if we had not been looking out of the windows so much.

My wife's book group read it as their last book and discussed it last night. She insisted that I read it too, so started it on Sunday and have virtually finished it. Brilliant, brilliant book and as you say, brought tears to my eyes on occasion, not because it was particularly sad, just the emotion really chimed with me.

 

[Bill the Bass]

Great book, great bloke.

 

[Deereone]

Is James Rebanks (The author) a member of this forum?

 

[Greenbeast]

I actually got it for the kindle after the last time it came up on here, haven't had a chance to start it yet though

 

[Deereone]

Challenge anyone to read the first page and then not want to continue.

 

[Extreme Optimist]

Brilliant book. couldn't put it down, A brilliant way of connecting with the public too. Just given mine to my nephew to read

 

[pycoed]

Tremendous read, but having read all the glowing testimonials from the National Press, the thought struck me that despite that, none of the barstewards have demonstrated that they really took in a word of what James was trying to put across

 

[ThatsSomeSheep]

@Hilly
I just found this thread re the book I recommended to you a week or so back.

TSS