The Barn at the End of the World: The Apprenticeship of a Quaker, Buddhist Shepherd

Amazon.com

Author Mary Rose O'Reilley is decidedly eclectic. She confidently blends sheep tending with her Quaker background as well as her passion for Mahayana Buddhism (a form of Buddhism taught by Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh). This may sound like the recipe for a soup of spiritual mush, but nothing could be further from the truth. Like Anne Lamott, O'Reilley also happens to be a hysterically funny storyteller who understands the importance of humility when writing spiritual autobiography. (One reviewer called O'Reilley a "social anthropologist from the Planet Mongo, a stand-up mystic going for the belly laugh...")

Whether she's talking about grief over dying lambs, the plague of Monkey Mind, flipping sheep, or a barnyard fashion crisis, O'Reilley keeps her metaphors down to earth and her epiphanies humble. The structure is especially inviting: a collection of brief essays of only about three to five pages each. But this collection also reads like a journey with a beginning and an end. It starts with O'Reilley as a college professor who decides to try some part-time animal husbandry at a local farm and ends with her finding a new direction in life that we can only hope will inspire her to write a sequel. --Gail Hudson

Book Description

Transcendence can come in many forms. For Mary Rose O’Reilley a year tending sheep seemed a way to seek a spirituality based not on “climbing out of the body” but rather on existing fully in the world, at least if she could overlook some of its earthier aspects. The Barn at the End of the World follows O’Reilley in her sometimes funny, sometimes moving quest. Though small in stature, she learns to “flip” very large sheep and help them lamb. She also visits a Buddhist monastery in France, where she studies the practice of Mahayana Buddhism, dividing her spare time between meditation and dreaming of French pastries.

Customer Reviews:

One of the Best Spiritual Memoirs.......2007-01-23

My first impressions of this book were that it was weird. That really describes the first section and a half of this book. It *is* weird reading about the excrutiating details of sheep farming coupled with deep religious insights. But it was weird in a good way, like waking up one morning in the middle of the winter at 6 AM and having the sun already be risen. The further along in the book I went, the more I enjoyed her weird combination of sheep farming, Buddhist retreat, music, and Quaker imagery. I found myself thinking about what she just said constantly; quite frankly, it was an absolute inspiration to me, especially when she starts delving into her life at Plum Village. Her format also makes the book easy to read. You can pick it up for just 5 minutes at a time. With some memoirs, the format of short essays makes the memoir feel disjointed; with this one, it makes it feel whole. I've read many memoirs and many spiritual/religious books. If I had to give a list of my top 3, this book would be on it.

Didn't interest me.......2006-11-10

I found this book boring. Her message was good, but her delivery did nothing for me.

Profound, Poetic, Perfect .......2006-04-10

In the past 15 years, I've read two, "personal memoir"-type books by women writers that totally blew my doors off: Terry Tempest Williams' "Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place" and Mary Rose O'Reilly's "The Barn at the End of the World: The Apprenticeship of a Quaker, Buddhist Shepherd." Very different books, at the end of the day, but both women think and write from deep religious traditions in their lives. Likewise, both have an abiding love for "the land," concretely and metaphorically, so what you hear at the end of that same day are calm but passonate voices that make you listen, make you want to listen hard to the observations, but with sense of deep fulfillment for the experience of it.

As for "Barn," I am neither a Quaker, a Buddhist, a farmer, a teacher nor an "older, adventurous woman" (as one reviewer suggested would be the type of person who would enjoy "Barn"). SO WHAT! "Barn" is a truly a banquet of wise and penetrating insights into the essence work (and working with and caring for animals in particular), of friendship, love, responsibility, accountability to yourself and to others, silence, mediation, the sacred, and, ultimately living honestly. There is much humor, gentleness, and "character" (for want of a better word to describe her inner strength) in the 90-odd "chapters" (some as short as 1 page) that are more like mini-essays on discrete but interrelated topics, so much so that I found myself going back, often, re-reading passages, savoring her prose and her insights, shutting the book, just letting the writing sink in. "Barn," resonated with me (an "semi-older, adventurous man") on more levels than I could ever have predicted. I'm a big fan of Thich Nhat Hanh's work, so the chapters recounting her experience at Plum Village and Thay's "dharma talks" were an added "bonus." Give it a shot, and take your time reading it; it's worth it.

Perfect Summer Reading.......2005-07-07

The Barn at the End of the World: The Apprenticeship of a Quaker, Buddhist Shepherd by Mary Rose O'Reilley is a beautiful and insightful memoir. There is something to be learned, pondered over, and highlighted for posterity on almost every page of this book. O'Reilley's humor and down-to-earth honesty regarding spiritual and personal matters made me feel at home, even in unknown territory. While reading this memoir, I learned to pause, remember, and cherish my own breath, to accept what is and what is not.

One of my favorite books ever...........2004-07-07

I loved reading Ms. O'Reilley's thoughts as she delved into her spiritual life through the retelling of the "everyday." As a fairly young woman with children myself, I enjoyed this author's empty-nester vitality and exploration of a life she obviously enjoys living. She does things that I hope I would do someday when I no longer have the children at home. Again, as a woman with children, I could relate in a very earthy way to finding holiness in... well... "dirty work." I like that Ms. O'Reilly doesn't mince the details in an attempt to be pious or meek. On the other hand, much of her writing style is absolutely delicious to read, no matter what the subject matter. This author can make sheep rectums something wonderful to read about!

I also love the way the author lives, something I would describe as very loving living. I love the value she places on many aspects of different spiritual traditions. It comes together in wonderful harmony, something that is very soothing and pleasing to read. (I would agree with some other reviewers that this book is not a solid reference for Buddhism or Quaker beliefs, but it certainly has a wonderfully lovely tone!) This book is about spiritual living - with or without a denominational label. I often found myself feeling a great sense of peace and calm while reading it, and enjoyed it immensely.

This book is heartily recommended!

Inside a Barn in the Country: A Rebus Read-Along Story
Average customer rating:

Near the Top of my All-Time, "Must-Have" List

Fabulous book for preschoolers!

My Pre-Schoolers love this book. It is a participation gem!

Inside a Barn in the Country: A Rebus Read-Along Story
Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Manufacturer: Scholastic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

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Customer Reviews:

Near the Top of my All-Time, "Must-Have" List.......2002-03-08

Inside a Barn in the Country is my kids' favorite read-a-long and my favorite to read to them. Had I had this book when I was a kid, it would have been my favorite too.

Fabulous book for preschoolers!.......2000-09-16

I used to work at a preschool that had this book in its library. The children could not get enough of this book! It's simply charming! Very rhythmic verse and the pictures are adorable. The children loved the book so much in that class that the school's art teacher reproduced large 3D pictures of the animals in the book. They were then hung around the room in the order of the story. The children loved it! So much in fact that I purchased the book through the school's book club even though I had no children at the time, nor any intentions of starting soon.

Now, my 2 yr old adores this book! She thinks it is absolutely wonderful and while she's far from reading it yet, she can almost recite it from memory. The verse is that easy. Great book for new readers and future ones!

My Pre-Schoolers love this book. It is a participation gem!.......1999-04-23

I have used The Napping House by Audrey Wood for years in my classroom. Inside a Barn in the Country has the same type of appeal to primary and pre-primary aged children. The pictures are fabulous and the children love to read along making all of the animal sounds. The book lends itself to sequence activities and encourages memory of sequenced events. This is sure to be a class favorite! I highly recommend it.

Average customer rating:

Great learning book!
One of our favorites!
Better Offerings Out There
Love this book!
Great Book

Big Red Barn (rpkg)
Margaret Wise Brown
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Good Night, Gorilla
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Jamberry
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Time for Bed

ASIN: 0060207485

Product Description

Margaret Wise Brown. In joyous and exuberant pictures, Felicia Bond lovingly evokes Margaret Wise Brown"s simple, rhythmic text about the cycle of a day on a farm, where a family of animals peacefully plays and sleeps.

Customer Reviews:

Great learning book!.......2007-08-01

Our 18 month old daughter loves this book. Easy to read, easy for her to follow. We enjoy it at bedtime. Words and pictures teach animals, some numbers, colors, etc. Much to gain from this book! Highly recommend!

One of our favorites!.......2007-06-14

This book is such a classic. My kids love it, but it is also one of my favorites. As with most Margaret W. Brown books, the words just flow and capture the kids' attention. My son loves horses, so he really loves the pictures of the farm animals. I like this book even more than "Goodnight Moon."

Better Offerings Out There.......2007-05-13

The illustrations in this book are good but too small in the board book format for little ones. If you really want this book, purchase the traditional sized hardback edition.

Love this book!.......2007-05-12

I can recite this book by heart and so can my 2 1/2 year old grand daughter. Sometimes we will be driving or playing in the yard and I will start reciting and she will join in. At night when you read it together and look at the beautiful pictures, it calms you and relaxes you (and the child) and gets you set for a nice nights sleep. I can not give it more then 5 stars but I would if I could. Every good grandmother should have this in her arsenal!

Great Book.......2007-05-09

This is a great book to read to your child beginning at an early age. The colors are wonderful for them to look at. As you read the story you can teach them all about farm animals. Highly recommend this book to all parents.

Eric Sloane's An Age of Barns: An Illustrated Review of Classic Barn Styles and Construction

Average customer rating:

A loving eye for detail
Nice book, but not Sloane's best
I have a barn
Eric Sloane-The Master Illustrator of Rural America

Eric Sloane's An Age of Barns: An Illustrated Review of Classic Barn Styles and Construction
Eric Sloane
Manufacturer: Voyageur Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0896585654

Book Description

This is a re-issue of Sloane's classic folksy history of barn folklore, architecture, and history, which has been out of print for twenty years. "Eric Sloane's An Age of Barns" is filled with fabulous black-and-white illustrations from this great American artist. Covering all types of American and Canadian barns and everything associated with them-implements and tools, hex signs, silos, out buildings, hinges, barn raising, and more-"Eric Sloane's An Age of Barns" is a spectacular album tribute to this important facet of our architecture and agriculture. This book is sure to once again become a collector's item.

Customer Reviews:

A loving eye for detail.......2007-04-25

Sloane's books capture the romanticism of the past better than any picture books, and that is certainly true for his An Age of Barns. The beautiful line drawings range from evocative perspectives to working sections, giving you a good idea of how these barns worked. There are Shaker round barns, traditional gambrel barns, Amish barn raisings and a wide variety of outbuildings associated with the early American farmstead. He lovingly focuses on hinge details, stairs and ventilation openings. Sloane's eye never missed a detail, and for anyone who loves old barns this is the book to get.

Nice book, but not Sloane's best.......2007-01-11

This has some interesting history of early barns, especially those of New England. Drawings are well done, as usual. If you are interested in barns west of the Mississippi look elsewhere.

I have a barn.......2006-09-26

and I understand that barn so much better now that I have read this book. Sloane gives a brief overview of the history of barns, regional types of barns, and even the tools to raise a barn. A lovely book.

Eric Sloane-The Master Illustrator of Rural America.......2005-10-08

When Eric Sloane wrote this book in the 1950's, the United States had already made the transition from being an agricultural nation into an industrial society. Fortunately, there were still plenty of examples of America's rural past scattered along the backroads and other forgotten areas of the nation's countryside. Sloane spent many years, seeking out these historic relics so that he could study and sketch them. The result is whole series of books that chronicle America's historic material culture. This book focuses on barns.

What makes an Eric Sloane book so unforgetable are the black and white sketches. If you are a visual learner who believes a good drawing is worth a thousand words, Eric Sloane is the author for you. By no means is this an academic study of the different barn styles that existed in the United States. Instead this book is a collection of beautiful drawings that can help the reader understand how barns were built and what they were used for. This is a magical book. If you like it, you will have many hours of pleasure seeking out and reading Eric Sloane's other books. Highly recommended. A great value.

Average customer rating:

Barn Dance!
Fantastic imagery for children...and fun for adults too!
Barn Dance!
A creative book for kids
As much fun to read aloud as it is to hear

Barn Dance! (Reading Rainbow)
Bill Martin , and John Archambault
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0805007997

Book Description

In an old farmhouse, bathed in the light of a full moon, a young boy creeps to his bedroom window and looks outside. Was that a voice he just heard, or the hooting of an owl? There it is again:Come a little closer....Come a little closer....Listen to the night....There's music in the air....Beckoned by the voice, the boy sneaks downstairs, out the door, and walks toward the barn. As he gets closer he hears the sweet sound of a country fiddler and the rhythmic thumping of dancing feet. But who could possibly be having a barn dance in the middle of the night?

Customer Reviews:

Barn Dance! .......2007-05-13

One of the best kids books around and a favorite of my four little ones.

Fantastic imagery for children...and fun for adults too!.......2007-01-09

As one of our family's favorite books, Barn Dance! by Bill Martin has been worn out twice at our house. The story is set on a farm at night as a "skinny kid" discovers that there is more going on after dark than the old owl lets on. The farm animals show him that a certain kind of magic exists if you just believe. The book is fantastically written with a slightly irregular-sounding rhythm that is fun for adults to read to their children, and our kids beg to read along--making this one of the first books they would try to read alone. We have also read this aloud to our daughter's class to rave reviews. This is a great book to dive into over and over, you'll find the magic will have you tapping your toe along to the "music" too!

Barn Dance!.......2006-02-01

As an avid square dancer this delightful book captures the joy and thrill of an evening of dancing. I have shared it with my two granddaughters, ages 7 and 4. Although they question why we might dance with the cows and chickens, as shown in the wonderful illustrations, they have a better understanding of what we do at a square dance. My husband is a caller and finds the scarecrow a charming immitation of the same role. A must read for dancers of all ages!

A creative book for kids.......2002-12-06

The book "Barn Dance" by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault is a cute book for kids. It lets them know that all things arent scary. Like scarecrows, for instance, arent scary their just to keep the crows away. Also if you child was scared of animals, this book might teach them there is nothing to be afraid of. It also is a very catchy book with all the rhymes and pictures. I was very pleased with it.

As much fun to read aloud as it is to hear.......2000-08-15

Scarecrows aren't really scary unless you're a crow -- or a preschooler. My son was terrified of scarecrows until we found this book. Now, it's torn and tattered, and a favorite of both my boys and their older sister. It's the story of what goes on in the barn when (almost) everyone in the farmhouse is sleeping.

All except the skinny kid with questions in his head, Much too full of wonderment to spend the night in bed, He was up about and list'nin'. . . . . .when the night owl said, Come a little closer. . . Come a little closer. . . Listen to the night. . . There's magic in the air. . . The skinny kid can hear the sound of fiddle strings, and he looks out his window to see the scarecrow leading all the animals into the barn for a hoe-down. Intrigued, the skinny kid sneaks into the barn and hides. Pretty soon, though, the scarecrow spots him and invites him to join in.

Out came the skinny kid, a-tickin' an' a-tockin' An' a hummin' an' a-yeein' an' a rockin' an' a sockin'. An' he danced his little toe through a hole in his stockin'! By this point in the story, my kids are itchin' to get up and dance, too. But, as the night owl points out, the magic can only last so long. The skinny kid sneaks back into his bed in the farmhouse to watch the sunrise. It might have been a dream, except for that hole in his sock.

Book Description

A detailed look at the seldom-seen life of a barn owl. Parents and kids discovering nature together will find this a thought-provoking introduction to the appreciation of a wild animal in its natural habitat. - ASPCA bibliography: Kids, Animals, and Literature - A NAPPA Honors Award-winner - An NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children

Customer Reviews:

Owl's and the Web of Life.......2007-09-16

A beautifully illustrated non-fiction story of the owl's life as we learn about his ways of feeding, where he lives, finding a mate, and exists during the different seasons of the year. I used this as a part of an integrated science lesson. The idea for this lesson is from "Picture Perfect Science" which is an excellent resource using books such as this one to teach elementary science.

Barn Owl (Animal Lives)

Great first book about owls.......2005-09-08

The barn owl is certainly a unique species, and is an excellent subject for a book meant to introduce young children to the world of owls, and birds in general. The illustrations are excellent, and the text for the most part is easy to read. The occasional advanced word is encountered, but this is hardly a problem. Overall, an excellent book.

A picturebook with factual information........2000-09-22

Animal Lives: The Barn Owl is a picturebook with factual data, a genre I am generally pleased with. Given the picturebook format, I felt that some of the vocabulary choices would be very difficult for younger or struggling readers, i.e. superefficient sense of hearing, perilous flight. That said, the information about barn owls is well presented and researched, the illustrations are accurate and well-done, and the book includes resources and information about conservation. The author follows one barn owl pair as they raise their first brood of young-from courtship to leaving the nest. A nice insight into the lives of the owls.

Average customer rating:

An Age of Barns
Eric Sloane
Manufacturer: Henry Holt & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0805012958

Average customer rating:

Happy Go Lucky (Big Apple Barn)
Kristin Earhart
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Happy Go Lucky is a young pony. He loves living with his mom at Shoemaker Stables! But when he's sent to help at a riding school called Big Apple Barn, everything in Happy's life changes. Big Apple Barn is full of new adventures! Happy has never met other horses and ponies before. He has a lot to learn, and he misses his home. Will Happy Go Lucky find his place at Big Apple Barn?

Average customer rating:

Happy's Big Plan (Big Apple Barn)
Kristin Earhart
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Happy Go Lucky is quickly learning his way around Big Apple Barn. He's even making new friends like Roscoe, the barn mouse, and Ivy, the trainer's youngest daughter. There's so much to explore! But Happy soon discovers that working as a school pony won't be easy. Every rider is different, and Happy isn't sure if he likes that. And not all of the animals at Big Apple Barn are very friendly. . . .

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