Zen and the Art of Shepherding

For The Millions, Caroline Crampton explores the prevalence of “sheep lit” (writing about shepherds and sheep) in 20^th century British literature. According to Crampton, writing about sheep shows a relationship between the way shepherds “interact with their land,” and their personal histories. The result is writing that does not render details into “extravagant, writerly prose,” but rather writing that is “straightforward” and “connected to the place that inspired it.”