El Maestro: Lady Goatherder 2

by Diane Elliott

When middle-aged English couple, Diane and Pete, move to rural Spain intending to run a small pony-trekking business, they could never have foreseen that their plans would dissolve within six weeks. Antonio, their heroic, opinionated, animal-loving neighbour, took over their lives and taught them not only goat husbandry and how to survive life in the Spanish campo, but also the finer points of kung-fu.
Life was good, and although often penniless, the couple filled their days with dogs, cats, goats and horses.
Then, suddenly, everything changed. Devastating, unbelievable news threatened to snatch away their happiness and transform their lives forever.

Genres: Memoir

226 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 29, 2024

About the author

Diane Elliott was born in Kent but spent her adult life in Dorset. Although trained as a secretary, her dream was to work with horses. As an eight-year-old, she won many rosettes in horse competitions, particularly for the egg-and-spoon and musical sack races. Upon reflection, that was a good start for a budding goatherder.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Diane wrote book one, I saw so many fabulous reviews for it, and thought it really couldn't be that good. It was. Now, having read book two, I am in awe of Diane's ability to tell a story. She wrung the gamut of emotions through me. Anyone who keeps animals knows they are going to outlive them, and Diane sensitively and emotionally deals with their passing. There is human interest in the book too. The Maestro Antonio, the inimitable goatherder, plays a big part in this book, as he did in book one. But the "bit part" players are well-written too. I'm not going to give any spoilers, but believe me when I say you won't want to put it down until you get to the end, and then you'll want to read it again, and hope Diane is penning a third book. I really can't recommend this book highly enough. If I could give it more than five stars, I would.

[Beth Haslam · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been a while since her first memoir. Would Diane’s sequel be as good? Frankly, it’s fantastic.

This episode sees the author and her husband fully immersed in their rural campo lives under the continued gruff guidance of Antonio, their saviour neighbour who introduced them to goat farming.

Diane’s descriptions of their adventures nurturing animals in a harsh environment and coping with illnesses and limited resources are often dramatic and endlessly interesting. I particularly loved the tales recounted using the animals’ voices. They’re charming and incredibly heart-warming. This is the pair who cherishes every creature in their care, including those with special needs. Life may be tough for Diane and Peter, but it’s good. Until it isn’t.

A dreadful event shatters their lives and those around them. How they deal with it will determine their future.

This memoir is related with honesty and bravery. It’s hard to imagine what the author went through when recounting the dire events as they unfolded. The book will cause you to giggle. It’ll warm your heart, and you’ll cry. It has enormous appeal to animal lovers and anyone who loves an extraordinary true story. I highly recommend it as an outstanding five-star read.

[Valerie Poore · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s hard to condense how I feel about this book into a review that won’t include any spoilers, but suffice to say I absolutely loved it. Like other readers, I am in awe of Diane Eliot’s ability to write about her beloved animals with so much empathy and insight. I am also in awe of the beautiful relationships she has with her dogs and her special needs goats. But what I liked even more in El Maestro (being the second book)was her husband Pete’s increased presence and his evident love of the goats as well. What a special couple they are – so hard working and so dedicated. I was riveted to every page and felt quite desperate when things went wrong for them and those they loved; likewise, I was overjoyed when they had successes that made them beam. It’s difficult to imagine how Diane will be able to follow this amazing book, but I sincerely hope she does. Very, very highly recommended.

[S. Bavey · Rating 5 out of 5]

“El Maestro” is the second of Diane Elliott’s “Lady Goatherder” books and I thoroughly enjoyed both of them. The way Diane attributes regional accents to her animals is priceless and made me laugh out loud on many occasions. Diane’s life is so far removed from my own and yet the anecdotes are vividly described with such depth that I can easily visualize them and my heart was in my mouth during difficult births, escapades with baby kids and all of the “special needs” animals that big-hearted Pete and Diane lovingly take care of.
This book is a love letter to a fellow goat herder who played an enormous role in Diane’s goat-herding life and himself was a larger than life personality and bottomless fount of knowledge and experience. Heat-wrenching at times, it really is a wonderful book that animal lovers will enjoy. A fitting tribute to a dear friend!

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved book I of the Lady Goatherder series (Butting Heads in Spain), but this second book is even better. I smiled a lot and sometimes had tears as I walked along with Diane Elliott and her goats, dogs, and mentor, Antonio. It’s a fun read, and as with the first book, I learned so much! El Maestro is a wonderful book! Highly recommend!

[Sharon Hayhurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Equally as good if not better than the first book in the series. I thoroughly enjoyed Diane's latest book, which is finely crafted into a gripping story. And it's in no way just a book about goats, its about relationships, human nature, joy and sadness, triumphs and loss all rolled into one and set against a vast Spanish landscape. A resounding 5 stars from me, can't wait for the next one!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this book. It's both heartwarming and heartbreaking but so sensitively done. What a skilled writer Diane is to draw the reader into her world. I have laughed and cried with her. I particularly love the way she gives voices and even certain accents to her animals. Their conversations are so clever and yet so realistic highlighting her rapport with them. That goat Katy, her broad Lancashire accent made me giggle! She and her husband Peter live a hard life in rural Spain and I take my hat off to them for persevering through some very challenging times, not the least of which is their menagerie of 'special needs animals' I was exhausted reading about it. Running through the book is her relationship with her friend and mentor Antonio 'El Maestro' and her thoughts and feelings about the future. I do hope there will be another book as I'd love to see what lies ahead for her and Peter.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first book, Butting Heads in Spain. Although I liked this one I just didn’t feel that it was a good as the first one.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

My attention was held from the very first page of this charming book. The author's vivid storytelling and descriptive prose transported me to the sun-kissed hills of Spain, where I found myself immersed in the lives of Diane, Pete, and their lovable goats.

What struck me most was the increased presence of Pete, Diane's husband, whose love and devotion to the goats was truly heartwarming. His character added a depth and a richness to the narrative, making it even more engaging and relatable.

As I turned the pages, I felt like a privileged observer, invited to share in the joys and challenges of life as a goatherd. The author's writing is not only evocative but also deeply personal, making it easy to become emotionally invested in the story.

While the latter part of the book left me feeling poignant and reflective, the overall experience was one of delight and enrichment. If you're looking for a book that will transport you to another world, make you laugh and cry, and leave you feeling inspired, then this is the perfect read for you.

[Judy Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you speak Goat? Dog? Horse? Diane is so in tune with her animals she even has the accent. If you love animals you will be captivated by this epic story as Diane and her husband reach back in time to a different world, simple (but complex), satisfying (but testing all powers of endurance): the life of a goatherder.

Come alongside them as they face challenges, heartbreaking loss, humor, beauty and serendipitous relationships, both human and animal.

I loved her first book as well and am eagerly hoping for the next installment.