Reviews for The Shepherd of the Hills

The average rating for The Shepherd of the Hills based on 2 reviews is 5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2016-02-29 00:00:00 Chris Pelley 4.5 Stars Have you ever been so intimidated by the plethora of 5 star reviews of a particular book that you dare not pick it up for fear of disappointment? This happens to me occasionally and is probably the main reason this lovely 1907 dustjacketed book stood in my bookcase for well over a year before I read it. Shocking, I know. Still,  I'm a firm believer in "the right book at the right time" and this was the right time so it all worked out. I won't go into detail on the plot because there's a lot of reviews on this already. Basic story line: An older city gentleman moves to the Ozark mountains to get away from society,  purge his demons and try to make amends for something in his past. There he settles down more comfortably than expected and becomes "one of the family" to the mountain folk who live there, 'finding himself' in the process. But old secrets die hard...or not at all. This book had a little of everything: the mad boy who runs wild in the hills, strange sounds in the forests, a forgotten gold mine, larger than life "Lorna Doone-type" menfolk, drought, poverty, redemption, romance etc. The author was apparently a minister before he turned to writing, but this is not a preachy or doctrinal book. Moralizing, ok perhaps a little, (the author had a "real men work the land" mentality)  but no sermonizing or religious agenda. The characters believe in God as the Creator and that is a part of who they are. But the characters are multi faceted and flawed. They make mistakes and grow from them, learning the true meaning of being a "sure enough" lady or gentleman, and this really touches the heart of the reader. A good, old fashioned read.

Review # 2 was written on 2016-03-03 00:00:00 Peter Witz An extraordinary story. Beautiful writing. Down-to-earth characters. One of my all-time favourite books, I'm sure. I am speechless and can think of no better way to honour this book than to quote this beautiful passage. Here and there among men, there are those who pause in the hurried rush to listen to the call of a life that is more real. How often have we seen them, David, jostled and ridiculed by their fellows, pushed aside and forgotten, as incompetent or unworthy. He who sees and hears too much is cursed for a dreamer, a fanatic, or a fool, by the mad mob, who, having eyes, see not, ears and hear not, and refuse to understand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pete knew a world unseen by us, and we, therefore, fancied ourselves wiser than he. The wind in the pines, the rustle of the leaves, the murmur of the brook, the growl of the thunder, and the voices of the night were all understood and answered by him. The flowers, the trees, the rocks, the hills, the clouds were to him, not lifeless things, but living friends, who laughed and wept with him as he was gay or sorrowful. Poor Pete,' we said. Was he in truth, David, poorer or richer than we?