BEA'S BOOK NOOK "I can't imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once." C. S. Lewis “If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” ― Oscar Wilde

Friday, July 25, 2014

The Friday 56 #34 Bob, Son of Battle by Sir Alfred Ollivant


This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join in the fun go to The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.

I'm reading a children's book about a Scottish sheep dog,  "Alfred Ollivant's Bob, Son of Battle: The Last Gray Dog of Kenmuir" by Lydia Davis. It's marketed as a children's book but really it's more YA on up. It's similar to Lassie Come-Home by Eric Knight. The quote is from 56%  in the ebook. A dog has been killing sheep and there's much speculation, and tension, about which local dog it is.


"Where's yer gray dog?" This time the challenge was unmistakable.
"I sent him after the killer. Where's your red wull (also a dog ~ Bea)?"
"At home, as I told ye before."
"You mean you left him there?"
McAdam's fingers twitched.
"He's where I left him."


25 comments:

  1. I love good dog stories. Does this remind you of James Herriot books?

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    1. A little but it's closer to Lassie Come-Home. It's an interesting story about life in the English highlands at the beginning of the 20th century, with the dogs as the lens for telling the story.

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  2. I hear the Scottish accent as I read the excerpt. Thanks for sharing!

    My Friday post: http://www.bookclublibrarian.com/2014/07/friday-focus-friday-56-book-beginnings_25.html

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    1. The accent shines through in this edition but it's actually toned down from the original.

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  3. This reminds of a book I read many years ago. It was so sad but so wonderfully written. The dog was killing everyone's sheep but his masters. That's how they figured it out.
    Here is my 56 - http://fuonlyknew.com/2014/07/25/the-friday-56-29-not-juliet-by-ella-medler/

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    1. I think it's the same book you read. It was also made into a movie.

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  4. Sounds like a delightful read...love that cover, too; it reminds me of all the children's book covers I enjoyed.

    Here's mine: “EVERYWHERE THAT MARY WENT”

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    1. I like the cover too; it has that classic feel.

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  5. Hope the brogue wouldn't be too hard. I would like to read this one. I wrote it on my list. I liked Lassie Come Home.

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    1. Davis did a very good job making the brogue understandable.

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  6. I love dogs and pick up a book or two about them every now and then.
    sherry @ fundinmental

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  7. I'm pretty skittish about dog books so I'd need lots of assurances that everything works out before I could brave this one. I do love the dialogue though. There's enough brogue to show the accent but not so much that you can't read it. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Ummm, well, several dogs die during the book. It doesn't have what I'd call a happy ending.

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  8. I love animal books. This sounds good.

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  9. Love the dialogue! Short sentences -- the way men really talk. I think I'd enjoy this story.
    Here's the link to my Friday post: REMIX.

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    1. LOL Yes, dialogue in this story is terse for the most part though there are some longer bits.

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  10. Just a wee bit of antagonism between the men....good dialogue! I've been away from the meme for a while, but trying to get back in the swing of things. Here's my Friday Post.

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    1. Welcome back! And yes, there's quite a bit of antagonism between the two men.

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  11. Fight already! LOL
    Happy weekend!

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  12. Oh that's bad, wonder what set the dog off that it's killing sheep :-/

    My BB and 56 :)

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    1. Unfortunately, it just takes one occurrence to turn a dog into a sheep killer. As for why this dog, the author never tells us.

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  13. I read this DOZENS of times! Love it! :)

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Thanks for taking the time to comment. I enjoy hearing from my readers. Let's talk!