Sheepish: Two Women, Fifty Sheep, and Enough Wool to Save the Planet

Hilarious and an excellent addition to any library. Sure you don't learn a hell of a lot about sheep though thats not the point of the book. instead one gets an amazing slice of life about two strong women who love each other deeply. Again it's a great book which I highly recommend.

I've scarcely read anything in 2012 due to busyness on various fronts, but I did manage to squeeze in Catherine Friend's memoir Sheepish. The book is a pleasant enough read about the author's life on a farm in Minnesota, where she and her partner Melissa raise sheep and the occasional llama. It is an update on the sheepish goings-on that Friend first wrote about in Hit by a Farm: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Barn (which, however, I have not read). In Sheepish Friend discusses the sometimes dramatic business of farming, much of it having to do with lambing, as well as her forays into the world of knitting. Although initially resistant to the idea of joining the "fiber freaks," as she calls them, Friend winds up going whole hog, carding fleece and spinning her own yarn from her own sheep's wool and, of course, knitting it into socks. Friend spends part of the book questioning whether she wants to stay on the farm after fifteen years--part of a vague mid-life crisis she's going through which also finds her mourning the death of Elvis thirty years after his death. Friend's new-found a love of knitting winds up helping her through a difficult patch and renewing her affection for the rural life.Friend writes a lot about wool in her book, its myriad uses and its qualities as a fabric: it's a natural insulator, it repels odors, it's durable, and so on. The main thing I'll take away from this book is the strong feeling that it would be a good idea to own some wool tee shirts.-- Debra Hamel

I'm not personally a sheep fan. I like the occasional lamb chop and roast, and I have a modest (and trying to stay that way) knitting habit. Still- not so much about the sheep; if I had a farmstead, I'd probably have goats.I LOVED this book! If anything could turn me on to the wonders that are sheep, Friend's writing would be it.It's all very anecdotal, and mostly pretty light. I did laugh out loud several times- fortunately not awakening my husband when I did!I recently read "Barnheart", and the two books share things besides a desire for sheep- both are thoughtful but relatively light memoirs of both the trials and the successes of relatively new farmers. I loved them both- but this one made me laugh more!I think "Farming memoirs" is a newish genre of books, especially those written by new farmers who are mostly women. I love this genre. I live in the suburbs and cannot have sheep; even chickens, while technically legal, would probably not go over well.... so I live vicariously. This book is one of the the top ones of this new genre.

Lots of humor, interesting stories, ruminations (both literal and metaphysical). I like the point of view; a reluctant farmer detailing the yays and the nays of day to day life with the animals. I just learned to spin yarn, so I can relate to the fiber parts, too.

Although I read constantly, there are few books that actually move me to write a review. Sheepish, is one of them. With just the right mixture of honesty, humor and information, this extremely well-written book kept me reading all afternoon, foregoing the nap I had been dreaming of, to finish the book. I must admit that the the last page brought both satisfaction and sadness that the journey was over. Catherine Friend's style of writing, sharp wit, and love for the animals and people in her life were incredibly inspirational to me. We have been kicking around the idea of trading in our oh-so-comfortable home and ability to run to the store at a moment's notice for the farm life, and this book has given me the push I needed. Catherine does not cloak the farm in romanticism, rather details the good, the bad, the ugly (and the occasionally gross) in a way that leaves me wanting more and waiting in anticipation for her next book. Whether you are an aspiring farmer or not, this book will touch you in unexpected ways and stay with you for a long time to come.

This is a delightful book about many sheep, two women, and the life they have made on a farm. The author is a reluctant farmer, but has a committed relationship to her partner and to her writing career. She isn't convinced that the farm life is for her, but she grows to love and know the sheep they raise, and describes the animals, the mistakes they make, and the choices they make with much love. She starts getting interested in the wool provided by the sheep and starts knitting, which she had avoided for years. After finishing this book, I wanted to go visit a farm and scratch some sheep. She made me fall in love with the idea of living near sheep. I have been completely engrossed with pictures of sheep (and learning more about the different breeds)ever since. And the love she has for her partner shines through the entire book! I recommend this book to others. I was totally charmed!

The older I get the harder it is to find a book that I want to read to the end. 90% I read 40 pages, flip to the end and I'm done. Sheepish I read page by page, and did not want it to end. I'm a knitter so possibly I enjoyed it more than others will, but I don't think so. Definitely related to the "getting through the middle". And getting through the middle relates to all of life, Catherine's comments at the end will resonate with everyone.But the most enjoyable part of the book are the sheep! Funny beyond words, deep belly laughs! Love the sheep, and I didn't before this book. Also I have new words - sproing and worfl and oxytocin.I could not put this book down. Catherine on her blog is worried about "paid reviewers" for books. I am not paid, I am a real person living in Dunsmuir, California. And I loved this book!

This book was purchased as a present and the recipient loved it. Purchased as I had also previously read it and thoroughly enjoyed.It arrived in perfect condition.

Loved this book! Not only entertaining but also gives you a good education on sheep, the many benefits that come just from their fleeces and the very harsh reality of how cotton is produced. Well worth the read.

enjoyed this book, a good read for the starter shepherdess!

I picked this after a review on the radio, but found it rather factual and uninteresting. Not much of a read, unless you want to find out about sheep, wool and two rather ordinary people living their lives. Pleasant enough.

A good read and made me chuckle frequently. Quite informative at times and managed to capture how a lot of fibre artists feel about sheep !!