The Sheep's Tale

The story of our most misunderstood farmyard animal

John Lewis-Stempel

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A warm and personal biography of the sheep by one of our most celebrated nature writers - author of multiple Sunday Times bestsellers and twice winner of the Wainwright Prize for nature writing.

Everybody thinks they know what sheep are like: they're stupid, noisy, cowardly ('lambs to the slaughter'), and they're 'sheepwrecking' the environment.
Or maybe not. Contrary to popular prejudice, sheep are among the smartest animals in the farmyard, fiercely loyal, forming long and lasting friendships. Sheep, farmed properly, are boons to biodiversity. They also happen to taste good and their fleeces warm us through the winter - indeed, John Lewis-Stempel's family supplied the wool for Queen Elizabeth's 'hose'.
Observing the traditional shepherd's calendar, The Sheep's Tale is a loving biography of ewes, lambs, and rams through the seasons. Lewis-Stempel tends to his flock with deep-rooted wisdom, ethical consideration, affection, and humour. This book is a tribute to all the sheep he has reared and sheared - from gregarious Action Ram to sweet Maid Marion. In his inimitable style, he shares the tales that only a shepherd can tell.

Published: 7 May 2022
ISBN: 9780857527066
Imprint: Doubleday
Format: Hardback
Pages: 192
RRP: $40.00

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About the author

John Lewis-Stempel

John Lewis-Stempel is a writer and farmer. His books include the Sunday Times bestsellers TheRunning Hare and The Wood. He is the only person to have won the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing twice, with Meadowland and Where Poppies Blow. In 2016 he was Magazine Columnist of the Year for his column in Country Life. He lives in Herefordshire with his wife and two children.

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Praise for The Sheep's Tale

The Sheep's Tale is an important book on several levels... Read a few sentences out loud, wherever you are; everyone should know more about sheep.
Rosamund Young, author of The Secret Life of Cows

A book of brilliant authenticity. Lewis-Stempel's affection for, and empathy with, sheep springs off every page.
Sally Coulthard, author of A Short History of the World According to Sheep

John Lewis Stempel's paean of praise for our wonderful and unique breeds of British sheep ought to be widely read. Sheep and pastoral farming are coming under increasingly strident onslaught and they will need every ounce of support they can get if they are to survive into the future.
Philip Walling, author of Counting Sheep