A Short History of the World According to Sheep cover art

A Short History of the World According to Sheep

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A Short History of the World According to Sheep

By: Sally Coulthard
Narrated by: Karen Cass
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About this listen

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.

©2020 Sally Coulthard (P)2020 Head of Zeus Animals Biological Sciences Environment Outdoors & Nature Science Ancient History War Textile History

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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)

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I loved this book. Lots of history amusing and surprising facts and confirmation of things I thought I knew.

Totally absorbing

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If you live here - on planet Earth - then you will enjoy this fascinating journey from then till now with Sheep at our side.

Great book

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Fascinating and accessible. Cannot recommend this book enough, I devoured it in one day because how interesting is was

Sheep influenced us so much!

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Really enjoyed this. History and sheep, and interesting stories—what’s not to love. I’d been looking for something non-stressful, that I could listen to while relaxing and this book was perfect.

Exceptional

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Starting at the dawn of domestication up to Dolly the sheep this book covers all the obvious and less obvious impacts of sheep on human history. An extremely interesting read. Well narrated and laid out. A truly ewe-nique book!

Fascinating history of sheep and their ramifications on human society past and present!

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I really enjoyed the book.

Comprehensive for so small a read and
I learned a lot.

The Narrator redeemed her pronunciation of Soay eventually.
Other pronunciations were a bit strange but her performance was overall really good.

I'd happily listen again.

loved the book.

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I never thought listening to a history book told through the intertwined relationship humans have had with sheep would be something I’d be interested in. However, the entire seven hours of this book were enthralling, interesting, engaging and something I will recommend to many people for years to come.

Incredibly interesting & unique

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small issue in chapter 9, it cuts out and skips forward, but incredible book, so much that I didn't know I didn't know

incredibly interesting

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wasn't expecting much I just thought the title sounded interesting. however the book shines a very interesting life of how sheep and humans have interacted throughout history.

gave it a chance and was very impressed

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I really enjoyed this fascinating book. It covered so much, was entertainingly told and had a really good narrator too.

Fascinating and really well told

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