Loading ...The Book of the Shepherd by Joann Davis
I remember the feeling I had when I printed out the CD-ROM I received in the mail four years ago. It was a novel by a brand-new author, published by a brand-new publishing house set up just for its publication. Having been a freelance editor and publicist for several years, I wasn’t too beholden to ’spiritual fiction,’ most of it not worth the paper it’s printed on in my opinion (sorry – just being honest). But this book seemed different. Somehow I knew the story it contained would have extensive impact, far beyond what it ’should’ have. That novel was The Shack. Turns out I was right! I’m getting that feeling again – this time about The Book of the Shepherd by Joann Davis.
The difference between Paul Young and Joann Davis is that Davis is a publishing veteran – but she’s signed with HarperStudio, a new publishing imprint of the Harper family that is no less innovative than Young’s publisher. They’re built on the principles of experimentation, new media friendliness, and cutting their authors in 50/50 with profit-sharing (royalties begone!). It’s befitting that this unusual (and quite successful) new publisher is releasing a quite unusual parable as their first overt entree into spirituality titles. The Book of the Shepherd will resonate with anyone who doesn’t care much for schmaltzy Christian fiction but who enjoys Jesus of Nazareth or Francis of Assisi – and perhaps the Joshua series by Joseph Girzone.
The tale opens in a graceless world: Stone the builder who erects a house that falls on its occupants. Sever the hands of the criminal who pilfers livestock or grain or another’s garment. Whip the child who defies an elder. For such is the law and the law must be obeyed.
For generations, these ironclad rules had governed the people. Nobody questioned whether it was right to humiliate a child or execute a murderer. An eye for an eye was the way of the world.
But was there another way?
When an antiquarian book is discovered in the disheveled study of an old Vermont farmhouse, the house’s new owner has the volume translated. The result is The Book of the Shepherd, an enigmatic story full of implications for us all.
Set in a mythical time, in an unnamed land, The Book of the Shepherd tells the tale of a shepherd, Joshua, who is troubled by the harsh code of “an eye for an eye” that governs his world. Called by a dream, the shepherd sets off on a journey to find “the new way.”
Accompanied by Elizabeth, a former slave who is kind and generous, and David, a boy who must learn to walk in new shoes, the shepherd knows that “an age of miracles” will come when the new way is found.
But the journey is not without incident. En route to a cave near the Great Inland Sea, the travelers meet a cast of extraordinary characters, including the Storyteller, the Apothecary, the Blind Man, and the Stranger. Each imparts an important lesson that pushes the travelers toward their destiny. At the cave, Joshua must see if he can bring forth secrets long buried. But he, Elizabeth, and David will also discover that sometimes what we have been searching for has been inside us all along.
What others are saying
“A beautiful demonstration of the ‘Power of One,’ offering readers important lessons of Truth many are searching for today.”
- Kathryn Adams Shapiro, author of Wisdom’s Choice
“A simple and profound parable that engages the heart. A delightful story that even children can enjoy and yet full of deeper meaning and direction for all truth seekers. The Book of the Shepherd should become a classic in every home.”
- Hyrum Smith, Co-founder of FranklinCovey, Founder of Galileo Initiative
“A scribe writes the story. A reader takes it to heart. The world, upon hearing it, is changed forever. The Book of the Shepherd is more than just a poignant and lovely story. It is truth.”
- Lynne Hinton, author of The Arms of God and The Friendship Cake
“From time to time, great teachers have used parables to instruct the human heart. The Book of the Shepherd is such a tale – a luminous book full of revelations of love and forgiveness. I’m going to buy a case for friends and family!”
- Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., author of Minding the Body, Mending the Mind
“The Book of the Shepherd, a timeless story about one man who is seeking “the new way,” is an inspiring and moving fable.”
- Paulo Coelho, author of The Alchemist
“In The Book of the Shepherd, Joann Davis presents us with an insightful tale that cuts through the noise and truly inspires. At a time when many people write about changing the world, she offers a simple journey that vividly demonstrates the importance of every act. An energizing read.”
- James Redfield, #1 International bestselling author of The Celestine Prophecy
“[This book] carries readers to a place too rarely visited in this hard world, a place where love and forgiveness triumph over our worst instincts. We are better people for becoming our own guides on this journey. Read The Book of the Shepherd and discover an untraveled highway.”
- Meredith Vieira, co-host of the Today Show and Richard M. Cohen, author of Strong at the Broken Places
About Joann
Joann Davis, a publishing veteran, is married to the historian Kenneth C. Davis. They have two grown children, Jenny and Colin, and live in New York City and Dorset, Vermont.
darien
The Book of the Shepherd is a fairy tale-like story of a shepherd on an adventure to discover the “New way.” Living in a harsh world of laws where an “eye for an eye” is the status quo, there is an extreme lack of grace and mercy. Not able to put his finger on what’s wrong, he sets out to find out for in his gut he knows there should and could be more.
His picks up companions for his journey. Elizabeth, the young maiden, and the boy David, who the shepherd helps, make delightful traveling companions. Each has a story that is sad in parts but not without hope. They swap their stories with those they meet along the way, picking up valuable advice and wisdom in the process.
With the help of Elizabeth’s map, they are able to plumb the mysteries of the cave (where the “New way” will be found according to their map from Elizabeth’s grandfather) that none have yet to return from. Overcoming great odds, they discover the treasure that is the “New law”: The law of substitution, where love is substituted for hate, hope for dispair and so on.
We later learn where much of the wisdom in the story comes from: an eclectic mix of writings from Charlotte’s Webb to the Gnostic Gospels to The Golden Compass.
Curiously, while there are many thoughts that find their origin in the Bible, never is that mentioned or given credit even in the “Resources” section. Perhaps this causal attitude toward the Bible is where it’s greatest weakness lies.
While I have no qualms with the essence of the law of substitution (actually comes from “The Simple Prayer” or the Prayer of St. Fancis”), there is a bit of confusioin in the story as a result. Much of it rings true but some parts left me puzzled.
For example: “If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you.” Well, that all depends on what’s in you, does it not. If you follow the truth of the Bible, you would want to know if they were following the old nature or new nature from within. And does this mean that you can save yourself or that God in you saves you? And if he’s in you, are you not already saved?
I admit a bias to believing that the Bible is truth. This is why I struggled with some of what was written. Other questionable influences include Native American practice and The Golden Compass (A book that is openly hostile to the God of the Bible).
I tried to envision reading this book to children. I think it reads well that way as the chapters are short, they move crisply and there are lots of stories with lots of dialogue. By and large I liked the stories and lessons they taught. I believe a biblically grounded person could navigate this book of teaching opportunities well. But I call for caution to the lesson informed.
One must remember that it is a story of stories. Fiction gets more latitude than non-fiction. However, lessons, truths and moral impressions are clearly taught through fiction and that’s why I would exercise caution here. The mixture of contrary religious influences could do more harm than good if consumed to an extreme or without the influence of other stronger literature (like the Bible for starters).
In the end, I probably wouldn’t recommend picking up this book with so many other better options out there. That said, I wouldn’t lose a lot of sleep if you did either. I will probably read it to my 10-year old and use it as an opportunity to test her ability to discern.
Disclaimer: This book was given to me to read and review by Viralbloggers.com.
Jan 22nd, 2010
kadams720
The Book of the Shepherd by Joann Davis is the first book I have received from Harper Collins / HarperStudio to review for viralbloggers.com. I have been looking forward to it. I was surprised by the initial appearance of the book. It was smaller than I imagined. It was printed on rough edged paper, with simple illustrations. Add the illustrated dust jacket and it had the appearance of an antiquarian book. It all fits with the back story that Joann had found this book in the muddle of papers and other effects of a eccentric professor who left a note the day he died about having it translated from the original Middle English/Dutch in which it was written.
It did have the feel of such a book from a far off time and land. It is a land where cruelty is law, It is the story of Joshua, a shepherd, and his companions David, an abused, discarded boy and Elizabeth, a former slave girl as they seek a “new way”. This “new way” we find out was practiced by an outlaw group of monks who sought to make kindness and forgiveness a way of life. As their way is banished they hide their secret law, the “law of substitution”, in a secret and dangerous cave.
As the trio travel we learn of their own stories and the stories of those they meet along the way. Others have sought this “new way” in the past, but have never returned. Guided by dreams, a grandfather’s map, and what they learn from kind people along the way they get to the cave. It takes the gifts that each provide to acquire the secret.
I enjoyed reading it. It is a simple parable. It held few few surprises, but engaged the heart. The Book of the Shepherd inspires you to believe that small communities of people practicing kindness could produce great changes in the larger community. And that one can make the difference. This is one reason why I like this book. I believe this to be true.
Jan 26th, 2010
staucody
Joann Davis has constructed a classic fairytale in The Book of the Shepherd. The story is set in a “mythical” time and place, where the law demands an eye for an eye and cruelty meted out in equal measure to a person’s offense.
It is in this context that we meet Joshua, a gentle, strong, compassionate shepherd who believes that there has to be a better way. And he sets out to find it.
Before he sets out, he is joined in his quest by a young boy, David, disowned by his father, and Elizabeth, a freed slave girl who cares for David. On their journey, they come across a cast of characters including a storyteller, an apothecary, and a scribe who all impart wisdom needed for their journey.
I won’t ruin the ending for you- it’s a quick, delightful read that’s perfect to share as a family. I will say that the book has a powerful message within it’s simple structure and fairytale setting, and is rich in meaning from beginning to end.
Jan 28th, 2010
Kyle Kirkley
“Fable is more historical than fact, because fact tells us about one man and fable tells us about a million men” –G.K. Chesterton
Is it my own callous and jaded outlook that makes me look askance at Joann Davis’s allegorical fable? Here is a story so familiar that to call it cliche would be misleading. It is closer to Uncle Merv’s story about the time he forgot to replace the gasoline pump hose and drove away with the nozzle. Everyone in the family has heard the story. Everyone knows where the story is going. But it’s still somehow irresistable. This is, perhaps, because the Fable as a form is really a story about the readers.
There are no surprises in The Book of the Shepherd. Any veteran of fairy tales, fables, and allegories can see each familiar element: the compassionate hero, the duplicitous villain, the quest, the ancient mystery, the secondary characters whoembody various aspects of wisdom and guidance. Even the cave and the snake are familiar allegorical symbols. But there is something encouraging and something pure about the simple way The Book of the Shepherd connects readers to the simple truths that compassion, love, and hope can overcome cruelty, selfishness, and despair.
If there are no surprises of plot or metaphor in The Book of the Shepherd, Davis can be forgiven: it is the genre within which she writes that has determined this. The payoff this fable comes with knowing that here lies a story about the reader. I am a character in The Book of the Shepherd and so are you. We see ourselves more clearly in the action of this fable because the Davis has cleared away the detritus of the superficial trappings with which people cover themselves. Each character is all soul and very little else. The compassionate woman is all compassion. The wise blind man is all wisdom. The brave shepherd is all valour. Although the genre determines that these are, of course, simplifications, Davis does shows us ourselves through them. The scary thing is to figure out which ones we are. Or, since this is really a fable of the soul, which character is victorious in me?
Jan 28th, 2010
lantzhoward
The Book of the Shepherd by Joann Davis is a short easy fable to read packed with bits of truth that we all need to be reminded of to help keep us focused.
The journey leads the reader down a road less traveled. A road of simplicity and connection.
Simplicity that our journey is made easier when are seeking the One. Simplicity that this journey does not require the weight of extra bags that slows us down.
The reminder of connection is both external and internal. The importance of having relational connections with others on this journey. And the reminder that we must continually examine our connection to the One and the way of simplicity.
This could be a good book to read to children with the guidance of their parents. This would make a good book for those who like to be reminded of simple truth that we forget to often. This is not a book of theology nor is it intended to be a book of theology. It is a fable weaved with remnants and teaching about following “the Way.”
Jan 29th, 2010
kragtbakker
I wanted to like this book. Coming on the heels of reading Peter Rollins’ book of parables, I was hoping for a lengthier story in the same genre, but they were quite different experiences. The premise was intriguing enough — an ancient manuscript discovered in a decrepit old house, “bound in vellum…written in an unusual hybrid of Middle English and Dutch” and translated into the tale shared in this book. Unfortunately I found the story to be too predictable and less than subtle. I realize that part of the problem is the genre — can you blame a morality tale for being didactic? The story wove a variety of biblical images throughout the narrative, some more effectively than others, as well as a fair number of clichés. (“Every narrator makes choices…Some see the wine jug half empty; others see it half full.”)
[Spoiler alert] While I agree with the basic sentiment expressed in the book (essentially “be the change you want to see in the world”) I have to admit I was expecting some kind of a twist at the end and despite the fact that I love St. Francis’ prayer (my wife and I included it in our marriage ceremony and have it hanging in our house), I felt cheated to find that the big secret was something so well known.
Perhaps I was just expecting too much.
Jan 29th, 2010
Bipolar Bear
This was the second book that I received from Viral Bloggers…The Book of the Shepherd is a quick read and that is good, because while the message was indeed simple and noble as a ‘new way’ to live our lives, it is marketed to the wrong audience. It should be marketed to children along with other fables. There is nothing inherently wrong with the book that I could see although the sources of inspiration I found puzzling. Certainly it is not a Christian book although it does espouse solid Christian life fundamentals. It is one I will pass along to a friend with young children as it will make a good bedtime story for them.
Jan 29th, 2010
adamkosar45
As reviewed at supermetz.blogspot.com
I received a book in the mail to review for The OOZE. I didn’t know anything about the book beforehand, so I read free of predilection. The Book of the Shepherd is actually a short, poignant fairy tale/fable telling of a shepherd whom the reader follows on the journey for a better way.
I found the story to be compelling, though not overwhelmingly complicated – it is, however, a parable. The story is engaging enough to draw the reader in from the beginning, and the story reads quickly enough that I read in one sitting.
I read another reviewer who suggested the story is best suited for an audience of children. I think teenagers may especially find the shepherd’s tale inspiring. It is a fable encouraging the reader to challenge the moors dominant in society, to go against the flow, and to, well, seek a better way.
I appreciate the author’s and publisher’s efforts in cover design, book design, and chapter design to maintain the fable or storybook feel. I did have a strange Oprah Winfrey feel when I was done reading it. I thought, “Oprah Winfrey would really like this book.” I’m not saying that’s good or bad . . . I guess it just depends on how you feel about Oprah (perhaps I was jaded that way since one of the “Extraordinary Advance Praise” for the book on the back cover came from Meredith Vieira cohost of the Today Show).
Overall, The Shepherd’s Tale is a unique story relaying a timeless and oft-told message that is refreshing to hear in a unique way.
Feb 1st, 2010
SGill4613
Sometimes in our lives, we need to be reminded that Christ came into the world proclaiming that the Kingdom could only be understood by children. “The Book of the Shepherd” is written for all those who are young at heart. Who chose not to live in a world dominated by cruelty, hatred, or malice. It is for people who seek the way.
For many, the way is no secret. Yet, just because it is not a secret does not mean it is simple. To master it, one must be like a child, open to only goodness, forgiveness, grace, and mercy.
This book takes an ancient prayer and makes it fresh and relevant. To do this is no simple task, and this book is a wonderful example of how it can be done.
Feb 2nd, 2010
TgotK
The Book of the Shepherd is a 183 page “fable” written by Joann Davis, the wife of historian Kenneth C. Davis (I Don’t Know Much About… series). The story serves as a allegory for discovering “the new way.” It’s written very much like childrens’ literature–very linear story, simple characters, clear breaks and transitions. The tells the story of an orphaned boy, a shepherd, and a freed servant woman, all on their way to a cave to discover “the new way.”
The old way was what a Dispensationalist would call the way of the Old Testament–an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth kind of philosophy. The three journeyers all know better somewhere in their heart and so they go on a quest to a cave they’ve heard about to find out what the better way is. It ends up being the St. Francis prayer, “Make me a channel of your peace/Where there is hatred, let me sow love…” etc. This new way is called “The Law of Substitution.”
Now all this seems nice and fits well into a (not very well thought out) Christian worldview. But there are problems and these problems insure I would never would this fable to my children.
1) Though the Bible is clear that Jesus set up a new covenant and that the Law would no longer be written on stone, but rather, on our hearts, it is clear that the same God who visited Mt. Sinai is the same God who visited Golgotha. Jesus fulfilled the Law, He did not abolish it. All humans at all times have been saved my grace through faith (even Abraham). This fable prevents God’s salvation as otherwise (or even worse, that the first thousands of years of human history were mistaken and God finally got it right on AD 29.)
2) The author presents this new way–The Law of Substitution–as a way of monks that got the kaboosh by “The Powers That Be.” How? She says that a document called “The Destruction and Overthrow of Falsely So-called Knowledge” barred these monks from having meetings and propagating their texts. Oh-so-not-ironically, “The Destruction and Overthrow…” is the title of a five-volume text by Irenaeus that argues against Gnostic thinking. It would seem that the author of this fable is a proponent of Gnostic thinking, proven by her malaligning the church father Irenaeus.
3) It is briefly mentioned that “The One” will be the person by which this new Law takes hold of the world. But then it is revealed that “The One” is each of us, each person who simply does the right thing and shows compassion. This sounds nice, but it is incredibly humanistic and ignores humanities need for a Redeemer. If each one of us could just follow the Law, then what need do we have for a Savior (particularly a risen one)? This seems to be Ms. Davis’s point. There is no “One”; it’s all of us.
For these reasons, I cannot suggest this book to anyone except as a academic study into how a modern day Gnostic (read: heretic) might think about salvation and redemption. In a word, its humanistic. Not to mention abiblical and illogical.
Feb 3rd, 2010
trooperdog
I just finished reading “The Book of the Shepherd” by Joann Davis. It is an odd little book…one that I have mixed feelings about. But even with my mixed feelings, I can say that there is much good to be learned from this book.
This book is written like a fable and is a very quick read. It may have over 180 pages but because of the way it is laid out, it can be read in 1-2 sittings. It chronicles the tale of a shepherd named Joshua. Joshua is troubled by the harsh code of “an eye for an eye” that governs his world. He has a dream in which he is called to find a “new way”, so he sets off on a journey to learn the new way. Along the way, Joshua picks up two others who travel with him and together they encounter an interesting cast of characters. With each encounter along the journey, they learn a valuable lesson. Finally, they reach the end of the journey, find the “new way” and take their changed lives back to their world.
This book is based on The Prayer of Saint Francis and the good learned from that prayer is worth the read. But, I will say that the story is quite simple and lacks a “fullness” that you find in most books. I wouldn’t pay the $19.99 list price…but used copies are now available on amazon.com for $2-3 and for that price, it is worth the read.
I am reviewing this book for The Ooze Viral Bloggers and give “The Book of the Shepherd” 3 stars out of 5.
Feb 7th, 2010
Mark
When Joshua the shepherd observes a man mercilessly beating his son, he is deeply troubled that the laws of their land permit such inhumanity.
Later than night, Joshua prayed to God. “Why didn’t you send help for that child?” God replied, “I did send help. I sent you.”
In this profound and heartwarming parable, we follow Joshua as he embarks on the quest for “the better way.”
Accompanied by his newfound friends, Elizabeth (a former slave) and David (the castaway child), Joshua searches for an ancient text that has been hidden in a distant cave near the Great Inland Sea
Along their journey to uncover long buried secrets, they meet an unusual assortment of characters — The Storyteller, The Apothecary, The Bind Man, and the Stranger, who teach them valuable lessons to aid them in the pilgrimage.
This little book, written by JoAnn Davis, is like a blend of Pilgrim’s Progress, Aesop’s Fables, The Shack, and The Hobbit.
It’s packed with pithy, thought-provoking statements. Here are a couple of my favorites:
“Speak the truth in love and love the truth in each, saying strong things gently and gentle things strongly.”
“Each morning, when you awaken, promise the dawn that you’ll keep your heart as light as a feather.”
Feb 8th, 2010
Mark
One quick correction — I certainly don’t classify this tale in the same realm of literature as Pilgrim’s Progress, Aesop’s Fables, The Shack and The Hobbit.
It’s a small and simple book — but one that reminded me of some of the feeling I had when reading the works mentioned above.
Feb 8th, 2010
MC Wright
MC Wright
I was truly hoping to like this book. I am a fan of the business parable genre as well as using modern day parables to teach. The Book of the Shepherd sounded like it might deliver a parable that would affect the way we live.
I quickly glanced at the book and checked out the jacket credits and thought, “hmm.” Paulo Coelho, author of “The Alchemist” endorsed it as did James Redfield (author of The Celestine Prophecy) and even Meredith Vieira (co-host of the Today Show).
The jacket credits, interestingly enough, had no Christian endorsement. I am not a person who limits his reading, believing there is something I can learn from everyone, so I sat down and began reading the smallish book published by Harper Collins.
In a nutshell…an ancient book is discovered in the house of deceased Professor Orlando Roberts. The new owner of his house, Joan Davis, finds the ancient scroll and has it translated. The vellum describes a “New Way” of living, and the journey begins.
The story begins in a small village where three events transpire that set the book in motion. A young boy is abused by his father; a shepherd decides to intervene in the domestic situation, and the young boys sister becomes guardian and is removed from her home with her little brother. The set-up is a world without grace.
The book moves quickly through very short chapters as the three travelers are introduced to various people who have a truth to instill and directions for the next leg of their journey to help them find a scroll that will reveal this new way of life.
There was never a moment for me in this fabolic-quest book that I said, “Wow, that was powerful.” The character development was shallow at best and never really drew me into the story. At times I thought, “Okay, now maybe we will strike some gold, but alas, it was always fools gold.
With each new chapter there was hope for something profound to be spoken or said or revealed, but it never happened. I felt like the author was trying to write an Alchemistic-esk book, but fell far short of it on both the content, and the writing.
“The book has no teeth” was the phrase that keep going through my mind…and then I noted that most of the spiritual maxims that the author brought in were from Gnostic sources (The Gospel of Thomas), or other New Age writers. The author wove the Golden Rule (treating others the way you would want to be treated, reciprocity), with Gandhi’s, “Be the change you want to see”. With these tow thoughts combined, the author creates a “New Way” for us to journey on and calls this new way “The Law of Sacrifice.”
The Law of Sacrifice moves us from the mantra of the Old Testament: An eye for an eye: to the new path of loving our neighbor as our self. The author garners her concept for the new way by adapting St. Francis of Assisi’s’ “Peace Prayer” and calls that the Law of Substitution.
I love that prayer, my only wish is that the author would not have changed it, and then given Francis credit for writing it.
So, save your money. This is a weak book. Better yet, go and buy a book about St. Francis of Assisi and be challenged to live a life devoted to the betterment of each other…I’m sure that will have more teeth than this book!
~M.C Wright
http://www.montywright.com
http://www.plantechanger.com
http://www.remorph.wordpress.com
http://www.svaonline.org
Feb 8th, 2010
Bill Nieporte
In her book, The Book of the Shepherd, Joann Davis has given us a brief little fairytale in a land where many church folks live – a land of legalism where faith is expressed in fidelity to a list of rules and regulations, and failure results in harsh retribution.
Joshua, the protagonist in this little tale, is a kind young shepherd who believes there must be a better way, and so he embarks on a journey to find that better place. He is joined by a young boy, David, renounced by his father for a minor failure, and Elizabeth, a slave girl who has been set at liberty. As they travel, they met several guides (a storyteller, an apothecary, and a scribe) who all share wisdom for the journey.
Those who have trouble with myth and allegory will probably not like this book. If you are looking for a concise, reasoned, and well-ordered systematic theological treatise on law versus grace, you’ll not want to bother with this book. Davis has given us a fable, a story. It the best sense of the word, I see this book as a myth meant to draw people further down the road on their own journey out of legalism and into the grace life. Read it with this mindset and you’ll find it an enjoyable and inspiration read. Come at it with an overly critical mindset and you’ll find yourself very frustrated.
There might be another group who find this book a frustration. They may well be comfortable with fable, but will be challenge by this stories obvious challenge to legalistic order of many ecclesiastical societies (i.e. established churches). If order, structure, and control are the back story for your religious background, then this fables rejection of religious legalism in favor of a better way will certainly be a challenge.
Personally, I encourage everyone to accept the challenge of reading this book. It’s brief and easy to read and can be finished in one or two sittings. Read it for the pleasure, engage in the reflections it brings to mind, and don’t take the format so seriously as to prevent it from allowing the fable to be a benefit.
http://www.nieporte.name
Feb 8th, 2010
Carrie Bevell Partridge
THE BOOK OF THE SHEPHERD is a fable that, quite honestly, didn’t capture my attention or my heart. In fact, I was more interested in the story behind the story–that Joann Davis found an old book in a broken-down house that she had purchased after the former owner, an elderly professor, died sitting at his desk. He had left instructions that all contents of the house should go to the next homeowner. On the old book, he had made a note to have it translated one day.
So to fulfill the old professor’s dream, Joann Davis found a way to have the story translated and now published. I think that the message attempting to be delivered through this fable is a wonderful one–one of love and forgiveness and mercy. However, the synopsis on the book’s jacket is what helped me really understand what the story was about. Then again, I’ve never been a great lover of fables.
Feb 16th, 2010
wickdsmaht
I really wanted to like this one. It had the sort of spare, poetic language that I’m loving lately, and it came from the Ooze — and usually I enjoy the books I get from them. Let’s begin with the writing. Like some of the other books I’ve read lately, the writing is very simple, but it reached the level of elegance only a handful of times. Mostly it just felt…simple. The chapters were short and I read it in one sitting (not a bad thing). It read like a fable. But it didn’t have the whimsical element that most fables have, and I found that a disappointment.
Now the content. It feels Christian. Christian names (Joshua, David, Elizabeth) and Christian icons (shepherd, slave, a “new way”). But upon closer inspection, we find that it really isn’t. It’s a combination of random sources — the Bible, new age thought, Gandhi, Francis of Assisi, Obama campaign slogans, and I’m not sure what else. Davis lists her inspiration as The Golden Compass (strongly anti-Bible) and the Gnostic gospels. Not that the moral of the story — basically, love should triumph over justice, and you should be the change you want to see in the world — is a bad moral. It’s one that everyone should strive for, and one that I try to apply to my own life. But as a Christian, lines like this rubbed me the wrong way: “If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you.” I guess it was more my own biases going into it. I’m not sure how non-Christians would read it — it could be that I was expecting something different, and was surprised by what I read.
Read my full review here: http://bit.ly/bv1OQQ
Feb 18th, 2010
Gotthammer
I recently received The Book of the Shepherd by “The Scribe” as part of my participation in the Ooze’s Viral Bloggers, so I’m going to make my review of it my Lenten confession of the day.
Given that it’s likely scribes who were responsible for editing disparate oral traditions into the various cogent scriptures the major religions of the world currently adhere to, it’s appropriate that The Book of the Shepherd has only “the Scribe” listed as its author (though a quick perusal of the copyright information will give you the author’s real name). Imagine that someone saw it as their scholarly duty to take all those pithy emails you receive about peace, or love, or spirituality, the ones that often come with a Power Point presentation set to music, and felt that there was need to amalgamate these into a single, coherent narrative. Now imagine that after they’re done, due to the way in which the Internet acts as a disseminator of modern folklore, this book is well received as a book of spiritual guidance. Imagine they’ve packaged it in a nice little hardback with a cover graphic that makes the slipcase look like vintage leather binding, already letting the reader know that this book contains ancient wisdom (which in this era, email forwards from five years ago are). Imagine this, and you’ve imagined The Book of the Shepherd.
I like fables. I like parables. I love allegory. None of these are easy to write, contrary to popular opinion. The majority of short didactic narratives are either excessively heavy-handed or cloyingly sentimental. The Book of the Shepherd is the second. It’s the result of a trickle-down from the pop-spirituality of the 80s and 90s into the mass-email forwards of the early twentieth century, made into one little book that feels old world, but is so ultimately new world that it fails at having the sort of authority other texts like it do.
Parables and fables work well when they’re short. As either of these, The Book of the Shepherd fails by going on too long, giving too much character information. It starts to approach being a modern work of fiction, but because it’s trying to hard to be didactic and teach us something, it never achieves the believability or relatability of character modern fiction requires. And we can’t call it allegory, because the characters aren’t symbolic in the way allegories demand. So I’m not sure what it is. What I do know is that I can’t recommend it, for the same reason I wouldn’t recommend The Celestine Prophecy.
When I was a minister, I was supposed to tell people to avoid reading The Celestine Prophecy because it was New Age. But that wasn’t the reason I’d tell you to avoid reading it. I’d tell you to avoid reading The Celestine Prophecy for the same reason I’d tell you to avoid reading Left Behind or Atlas Shrugged: they’re poorly written works of didactic fiction. The Book of the Shepherd is another. Most of the time, when an author tries to hard to tell me how to live, he sacrifices his chance to tell me a decent story in the process. There are exceptions to this, but they are few and far between.
Writers risk us missing their point when they work towards the sort of moral complexity and ambiguity a good story demands. The more simplified the moral strata, the less I can buy in. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe remains one of the best allegorical pieces of fiction because you can miss the Christian message. It can be appreciated simply as a great piece of children’s fiction. I don’t have to “get” something out of it to enjoy it. Writing like The Book of the Shepherd is only worth reading if I think it holds the keys to my spiritual well-being. Since its mostly just a collection of bumper-sticker spirituality, I’d recommend anyone interested in this sort of spiritual path to Google Scott Peck or Thomas Moore, read the wikipedia articles on them, and save yourself the bucks.
On the subject of spiritual reading, I’ll close by posting one of my favorite writings The Book of the Shepherd wishes it was in the tradition of: Walter Wangerin’s “The Ragman”:
Feb 23rd, 2010
mhasty
The Book Of The Shepherd is a fictional story based around a simple prayer an a group of people searching for “a new way”. Joshua the shepherd, David the boy, and Elizabeth the heroine, set out on a journey together to find this “new way” of living that is said to be a better way. One of my favorite lines in the book comes from Joshua as a young boy in a discussion with his father about “the way the world is” in which Joshua asks, “Can’t we remake the world?”
The three learn many forms of compassion and wisdom along their journey. And find themselves wrapped up in each others stories so much that Elizabeth and Joshua come together in marriage on their love for one another.
The “new way” we find is really based in “the One” a monk who taught this “new way” of living and riled against the religious authorities of the day. Who wanted to silence any truth or way but their own. To the Christ-following believer this story sounds very similar to that of Jesus. The symbol of “the new way” is a fish. The fish was also a symbol for the early Christians. To a non-believer without a knowledge of biblical accounts we simply understand the Jesus figure to be a monk “the One” who taught “the Way”, but really “the Way” is “the One”.
The prayer in the book called “The Law of Substitution” is more commonly known as “The Simple Prayer” “The Peace Prayer” or “The St. Francis Prayer”. In the book it reads this way.
Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love
Where this is injury, let me sow pardon
Where there is doubt let me so faith
Where there is despair, let me sow hope
Where there is sadness, let me sow joy
Where there is darkness, let me bring light
For it is in giving that we receive
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life
For this is the Law of Substitution
The Book of the Shepherd is very enjoyable, well written, and a quick read. I will say however that the books greatest weakness comes from some of it’s source material: The Gnostic Gospels, The Golden Compass, and Charlotte’s Web are noted by the author. There are also some things in which it seems that the journey to find the “new way” may differ from “the Way of Christ”. A good friend of mine, Darien Gabriel, also read and reviewed this book. He discusses this idea much better than I can.
“If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you.” Well, that all depends on what’s in you, does it not. If you follow the truth of the Bible, you would want to know if they were following the old nature or new nature from within. And does this mean that you can save yourself or that God in you saves you? And if he’s in you, are you not already saved?
Pick it up and remind yourself of some truths rooted in scripture and some things not so rooted in scripture presented in a “new way”.
Disclaimer: This book was given to me to read and review by Viralbloggers.com.
http://thecommoncup.tumblr.com/post/407837611/the-book-of-the-shepherd-by-joann-davis-book-review
Feb 23rd, 2010
gdeitz
I have to agree with many of the reviewers here and say that there is good in the book, but for me it was far from fulfilling of a read. I gave it a three star review because it was short, sweet and didn’t make me think all that much.
There is some good truths to the book, but they are what I consider to be surface level truths. They are things that many of us know to be true and probably believe, but that we do not always act out.
I wanted to like the book. I wanted it to be something that I could read with a group and start serious discussion with, and I believe that it could do that, I just do not think that it would lead to the sort of discussion the author intended.
I honestly think that the fact that the author wanted me to believe that this was some story that was found and recently translated, I immediately distrusted the tale itself. It allowed me to read it and feel that the author did not believe the very words that were penned.
All in all, I cannot say that I disliked the book, but it is hard to openly and honestly say that I enjoyed it as well.
Feb 24th, 2010
gieseguy
Recently read “The Book of the Shepherd” by author Joann Davis.
This small story of fiction exceeded my expectations. It’s very short, is set in times of antiquity and yet reveals marvelous nuggets of truth that are very relative in today’s world.
The tale begins with a small fellowship consisting of a young shepherd, a boy and a young servant girl. They have grown up in an abusive world where there is a religious fervor to uphold the letter of the law but little compassion for those caught in it’s web. They yearn for a new way one that they heard exists but have yet to see. On their journey they encounter many difficulties. The shepherd longs to see this new life of love and grace yet gets drafted in a carnal war. What seems tragic turns into an opportunity to demonstrate what loving your enemy may look like, loved it! Along the way there is the blind man that sees with his heart, and the storyteller that helps the characters share their story and discover who they really are. It really is a great read and one that you can read over and over and discover new truths and hope that is practical and encouraging.
Feb 25th, 2010
hamzabear
The Book of the Shepherd is “the story of one simple prayer, and how it changed the world,” as the book’s subtitle tells us. It’s a charming tale, written in the form of an extended fable, about a shepherd who goes searching for a “new way” to replace the violent code of “an eye for an eye” that he finds in the harsh world around him. Along the way, the shepherd meets others, some of whom join him on his journey.
Each person we encounter has a tale of his or her own, so the short novel becomes a series of interwoven stories, each with its own bit of wisdom to impart. The author of the book, Joann Davis (who “discovered” the manuscript “By the Scribe”), acknowledges in her Afterword the sources for the stories’ insights, which range from Elaine Pagels’ The Gnostic Gospels to M. Scott Peck and even Charlotte’s Web.
The “prayer that changed the world” is the classic Prayer of St. Francis, which in this story becomes the hidden treasure found by the shepherd and his companions on a parchment scroll in a dark and perilous cave. The prayer has been shortened and bowdlerized, perhaps to suit the “spiritual but not religious” audience to whom this book is being marketed. “Lord” and “O Divine Master” have been deleted (perhaps too “patriarchal” or “religious”?), so the prayer is addressed to no one in particular. But most annoyingly, a line has been added at the end of the prayer: “For this is the Law of Substitution.” This added line has the effect of making a beautiful prayer that has inspired millions over the centuries sound like a PowerPoint presentation at a Deepak Chopra seminar.
This short novel does not rise to the level of excellence found in Master of the Jinn by Irving Karchmar, which is (by far) the best book I’ve read in the “spiritual novel” genre. But The Book of the Shepherd also avoids the preachiness and wooden dialogue found in other “spiritual novels” like The Celestine Prophecy and The Way of the Peaceful Warrior. Apart from its tampering with the Prayer of St. Francis, The Book of the Shepherd is indeed “an inspiring and moving fable,” as the cover blurb from Paulo Coelho claims.
Feb 25th, 2010
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