Few works of American fiction have proved as enduringly popular as Harold Bell Wright's The Shepherd of the Hills. Wright's novel, first published in 1907, was an instant best seller; by 1918 the book had sold over two million copies; the following year it was adapted for the silent screen (the first of four cinematic versions); and by the mid-1920s Wright was established as the most commercially successful American novelist of all time. Wright's compelling and moving tale of an outsider who begins a new life in the ...
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Few works of American fiction have proved as enduringly popular as Harold Bell Wright's The Shepherd of the Hills. Wright's novel, first published in 1907, was an instant best seller; by 1918 the book had sold over two million copies; the following year it was adapted for the silent screen (the first of four cinematic versions); and by the mid-1920s Wright was established as the most commercially successful American novelist of all time. Wright's compelling and moving tale of an outsider who begins a new life in the isolated, insulated world of the fictional Mutton Hollow draws on his work as a Protestant pastor and his familiarity with the pioneer culture of homesteaders in the Ozark Mountains region of southern Missouri. The novel is both exciting and elegiac, mysterious and melodramatic. Henry Claridge's introduction to this new Wordsworth edition provides an account of the social and historical background to Wright's novel, particularly its dramatisation of the changing world of the American frontier in the late 19th century, and an explanatory note for the modern reader to aid him or her with the idioms and speech-patterns of Ozark dialect.
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A very good story about an old man and how he finds inspiration in the hills while shepherding. His life affects all the people within the region. With a surprising ending. This book was written in the 18th century and is still wonderful.
Sandra L. L
Aug 26, 2010
Interesting story from the last century. I had a little difficulty reading it smoothly.
ThePhantomShadow
May 26, 2008
Wonderful Book!
I have very much enjoyed reading and rereading this book. The message it gives is so strong and relevant for me. Harold Bell Wright is a master of description. The way he draws you into the beauty and majesty of the Ozarks is fascinating! His talent for creating unforgettable characters is strongly seen in this book. I almost feel that one day I may meet Daniel Howitt or Mr. Matthews. This book has made me wish to visit to Ozarks myself one day. I highly recommend this book to people who are weary of modern literature and yearn for a taste of an older way and life with spiritual signifiicance.
