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A Shepherd Watches, a Shepherd Sings : Growing Up a Basque Shepherd in California's San Joaquin Valley
Reminiscences of the author's youth as he assists his father, a Basque immigrant to California, with their sheep business.
300 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1977
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About the author
Theodore Taylor
116 books106 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 9, 2019
One of those books I'd like to read again. Set in geographical area I'd like to wander. Had perhaps a subliminal spiritual message. Often when seeing reviews of books set in 'West,' it comes to mind. Life with herding dogs ...
KIRKUS REVIEW
A sunny, textured portrait of the Basque shepherds of California, limned by Irigaray who grew up there in the Thirties. What he recalls, besides a father quick to temper and a mother regretful of missed adventures, are Mexican shearers with hands velvety from lanolin, ignorant boy-wonders from the Forest Service, skillful collie dogs (txakurrak), apricot-wood staffs (makhila), milestones in his apprenticeship, spirit visits (arima erratia) after a great-uncle's mysterious death, and a flock of memorable shepherds. Like Baptista, their huge veteran herder with a size eighteen neck, ""a squat tank on two feet"" who ""danced the iota like a ballerina."" Or Maness, Little Mich, and Petain who always took a bottle to the fields--""John Steinbeck would have liked this trio."" Or ""sheeped"" Jean Biscari, slowly going insane from loneliness. And those who taught Louee how to spot gaseous alfalfa and homosexual sheep. Folk singer Irigaray and young-adult author Taylor have collaborated seamlessly in these resonant sketches.
KIRKUS REVIEW
A sunny, textured portrait of the Basque shepherds of California, limned by Irigaray who grew up there in the Thirties. What he recalls, besides a father quick to temper and a mother regretful of missed adventures, are Mexican shearers with hands velvety from lanolin, ignorant boy-wonders from the Forest Service, skillful collie dogs (txakurrak), apricot-wood staffs (makhila), milestones in his apprenticeship, spirit visits (arima erratia) after a great-uncle's mysterious death, and a flock of memorable shepherds. Like Baptista, their huge veteran herder with a size eighteen neck, ""a squat tank on two feet"" who ""danced the iota like a ballerina."" Or Maness, Little Mich, and Petain who always took a bottle to the fields--""John Steinbeck would have liked this trio."" Or ""sheeped"" Jean Biscari, slowly going insane from loneliness. And those who taught Louee how to spot gaseous alfalfa and homosexual sheep. Folk singer Irigaray and young-adult author Taylor have collaborated seamlessly in these resonant sketches.
June 30, 2016
A shepherd watches, a shepherd sings by Irigaray_ Louis - Taylor_ Theodore
Interesting story of how a boy became a shephard. Learned so much about the band of sheep he was in charge with and how he
came to sing while doing his job. Have seen how the border dogs corral the sheep in person and it's so cool to hear that they understand each other.
Ring of bells also gives the dogs a clue as to who is astray. Interesting facts about sheep and how they survive and live with one another, their habits, etc.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Interesting story of how a boy became a shephard. Learned so much about the band of sheep he was in charge with and how he
came to sing while doing his job. Have seen how the border dogs corral the sheep in person and it's so cool to hear that they understand each other.
Ring of bells also gives the dogs a clue as to who is astray. Interesting facts about sheep and how they survive and live with one another, their habits, etc.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
October 22, 2018
As a teenager in Boise Idaho I knew a lot of Basque people. Louis preformed many times at the Basque Center and during the Basque Festival held in Boise. Awesome. I have his 331/3 record and made CDS for my 4 children as we loved listening. Reading this book I learned so much about the Basque people and their pride. Awesome. Watching and singing. Louis was/is good at both.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews