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A Short History of the World According to Sheep
- Narrated by: Karen Cass
- Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins
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Publisher's Summary
An addictively free-ranging survey of the massive impact that the domesticated ungulates of the genus Ovis have had on human history.
From the plains of ancient Mesopotamia to the rolling hills of medieval England to the vast sheep farms of modern-day Australia, sheep have been central to the human story.
Starting with our Neolithic ancestors' first forays into sheep-rearing nearly 10,000 years ago, these remarkable animals have fed us, clothed us, changed our diet and languages, helped us to win wars, decorated our homes and financed the conquest of large swathes of the earth. Enormous fortunes and new, society-changing industries have been made from the fleeces of sheep and cities shaped by shepherds' markets and meat trading.
Sally Coulthard weaves the rich and fascinating story of sheep into a vivid and colourful tapestry, thickly threaded with engaging anecdotes and remarkable ovine facts, whose multiple strands reflect the deep penetration of these woolly animals into every aspect of human society and culture.
Critic Reviews
"This book deserves a place in your bookcase next to Harari's Sapiens. It's every bit as fascinating and is surely destined to be just as successful." (Julian Norton)
More from the same
What listeners say about A Short History of the World According to Sheep
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- J. Clark
- 02-12-21
a UK/euro-centric bore. struggled to finish
mostly a history of UK wool economy and a history of the victors. colonialism? what colonialism?
2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- A. P.
- 05-13-21
Not bad but could be much better
This book was quite informative but definitely too much focus on UK. As if other countries don’t exist. So many lost opportunities. Narration was not great - whenever she’s quoting anything she changed her voice and is very annoying and completely unnecessary.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Cate F.
- 12-11-21
More like Great Britain & Ireland
Not just for wool fans, this book tells how economic history depends on sheep. It’s an enjoyable listen and I appreciated all the details.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- AmazonCustomer
- 06-14-21
Loved it!
This was so interesting and informative! The voice acting was great, too. I only wish it was longer and had even more detail about non-Western parts of the world. There was some of that, but more would have made it even better.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- TJ Schreiber
- 08-20-20
A Concise History on Sheep and Their Uses
It may bounce around a lot, but thats what I love about it, If you been interested sheep for awhile this is the book for you.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Cat W
- 04-20-22
fascinating insight into sheep and anthropology
I found this book absolutely fascinating, listening while spinning. Learned loads and will listen again
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tina
- 02-18-22
Fascinating stuff beautifully narrated!
Really enjoyed this book and learned a lot more than just about sheep! The narration was perfect for the topic too.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Belinda
- 05-26-21
Great book!
I really enjoyed reading this book. It’s short, and to the point, with lots of interesting facts. If you are at all interested in wool, fibre arts or a brief history of agriculture, this is a great book to start with.
