Helpful Score: 1
While I usually love books in this genre, I was a bit disappointed in this one. The only thing I did like was the love between the dog and his master and how they would do anything to be together again. Though, there was just as much I really didn't care for. The dogs in this story all speak to each other throughout the book like Quakers do- "Thou art, a good dog", so it was hard to really follow the Quaker doggie language sometimes. Also, the author could've been more subtle describing an intimate encounter between the main character and his wife. There's also a LOT of animal abuse by a few of the main characters described in precise morbid detail. If you are conservative about foul language, you'll probably want to skip this one, there's no shortage of foul language (human & dog). I really tried to love this one, but I just didn't.
Wonderful accuracy regarding the raising and training of border collies woven into an interesting story, touching the heart in the low key character of New England story telling.
Lovers of working dogs will enjoy this book.
Nop, the main character in McCaig's pleasurable out-of-print classic, is a sheepdog run competitively by his Virginian master in the kind of "trials" that test such a dog; when some unscrupulous rednecks steal him, other kinds of trials begin.
This is a great book. I really enjoyed it.
To me this is the best book ever written. I may be bias because I am owned by 3 Border Collies and live in the area where the book takes place but it is just an amazing book. Its the story of what a person will go through to get his best friend back. A mans dog (Nop) is stolen and he will do anything to get him back. If you like dogs its a good read, I have let many non dog owners borrow this book and they still like it. Its just a well written story.
