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  • The Shepherd's Life

  • By: James Rebanks
  • Narrated by: Bryan Dick
  • Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (91 ratings)

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The Shepherd's Life

By: James Rebanks
Narrated by: Bryan Dick
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Publisher's 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.

©2015 James Rebanks (P)2015 Audible, Ltd

Critic Reviews

"Affectionate, evocative, illuminating. A story of survival - of a flock, a landscape and a disappearing way of life. I love this book." (Nigel Slater, author of Toast and the Kitchen Diaries)
"Bloody marvelous." (Helen MacDonald, author of H is for Hawk)
"May well do for sheep what Helen Macdonald did for hawks." ( Guardian)

What listeners say about The Shepherd's Life

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Peaceful listening

I loved the peaceful and melodic nature of this biographical story.
Informative,evocative and inviting.
Well worth listening to.

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Fresh and beautiful.

I loved this book. It is a tribute to people who came before and traditions valued for generations. A brilliant read for meat eaters and vegans to grow their knowledge behind their beliefs.

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Took me to the lakes and I learnt a lot about sheep!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. A tale of passion, hard work and respect for the old ways and knowledge of others. I shall never look a sheep in the eye the same way again!

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You don't need money to be rich!

Excellent. I can relate so much to his story. Good on him for following his passion

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Great book

Very interesting and well presented. Lots of information on a shepherds life. Enjoyed it greatly.

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An amazing read.

If you could sum up The Shepherd's Life in three words, what would they be?

Possibly my favorite book of all time, this book should be compulsory reading before one turns vegan, or even more appropriately, read before a vegan feels they can advise to the greater population.

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window into his world

what a wonderful window into this world, eloquently.
if you care where your food comes from and have even a passing interest in rural life you will enjoy this

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Super informative

What a superb listen. Great relatable detail, inspiring similarities to so many rural farms across the globe. Thanks for sharing your experience with us James

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Superbly insightful and relatable

Though listening to this from the Australian Outback I amazed at the similarities between our lives. James has done a superb job of articulating his experiences which very much align with the experiences of my husband and sons as multi generational pastoralists living and working in a society that has them as a marginalised group. I found it fascinating to explore the cultural aspects of shepherding in northern England and compare that to the hot, harsh and dry environment I live in. Thank you James I really enjoyed this and look forward to hearing your next book.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.