The Wisdom of Shepherds

by Rhett Ellis

Out of the much-loved tradition of wisdom literature comes The Wisdom of Shepherds, a story full of astute observations and deep insight. Like all great wisdom literature, The Wisdom of Shepherds... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0967063132
• ISBN13: 9780967063133
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: Sparkling Bay Books
• Length: 246 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Great-- A Classic

The Wisdom of Shepherds is an all time favorite of mine. It is a story from the genre of wisdom literature that is tender and profound, rugged and beautiful. One winter evening, old Caleb returns to the cottage where he camps each year to discover that a young woman has moved into it. She is poor and she has a poor little daughter. He would send them away, but he cannot put them out in the cold-- and in the times he lived, he cannot stay with them. They butt heads, but in time a friendship forms. This is a refreshing book-- there is no sex or cheap violence. The characters are incredibly real and you feel that you get to know each one like a member of your family. This is an amazing story!

A Favorite

The Wisdom of Shepherds is a favorite of mine. It's an amazing story from the category of wisdom-literature. Being simple, it takes one to great depths of thought and feeling. The story is about an old man with secrets-- one buried in his heart, another buried beneath a cottage where he spends the winter months. One year when he returns to that cottage, he find that a woman has moved in. She has a little daughter too. The old man is perplexed about the situation. He can't put them out, and he is worried that his secret will be discovered. The book is about dealing with changes in life-- very profound stuff. Truly it is a favorite.

Simple but Deep. Good Feeling.

The Wisdom of Shepherds is a wonderful story-- the wisdom moved me in many ways, both emotionally and mentally. The characters were easy to feel close to, and by the end of the story I felt like I knew each one. The story is about Old Caleb, a shepherd who wanders the countryside outside a seaside town. Every year he camps in a crumbling cottage where he buried a secret when he was a young man. One year he finds that someone has moved into his cottage, and since the intruder is a she, he doesn't know what to do. He can't put her out, and given the morality of the time he can't move in with her. In time a true friendship forms-- a very refreshing thing to see in a story instead of a torrid love affair. The shepherd uses a unique kind of wisdom to guide him through the difficulties of change, and the ending is very satisfying.

Great read!

This is a book that has much more substance than many would originally be willing to give it credit for. Through a fairly simple story, Ellis manages to touch on a lot of complex issues facing us today.If you are struggling with the unexpected or unforseen changes, I heartily reccomend this book. It shows a bright side can be found just about anywhere, and does it without being smutty, provocative, or overtly sexual.

Rare Read

The Wisdom of Shepherds is a very powerful story, and it moved me in a way that few books have. It is hard to believe that a story so simple could have the huge impact that it has. While I found many shades and depths of wisdom in the story, I also found that it touched and moved my emotions. I laughed quite often and cried more than once. If you haven't read this book, you've really got to read it. It really is amazing.It is about an old shepherd named Caleb. Every year during the winter months, Caleb returns to a crumbling, country cottage to camp during the cold months. One year when he returns he finds that a poor woman and her small daughter have moved into the cottage. He doesn't know how to handle the situation, and he thinks it would be best for everyone if the woman would just move back to the small town where she walks to work each day. The most conflict in the story comes from the interraction between the shepherd and the woman's husband, a sailor who also returns once a year to the area. The sailor is a basically a creep, and the shepherd, though he is strange and very much alone, is a good person.There is a big surprise that revolves around a mysterious object that the shepherd had buried beneath the cottage when he was a young man. The story moves fast because the language and style is simple. Again, The Wisdom of Shepherds is a great book. Be extra sure to read it.