The Book of the Shepherd: The Story of One Simple Prayer, and How It Changed the World

The Book of the Shepherd is a short book, an easy read with a simple yet profound message: small acts of compassion, kindness and forgiveness are powerful enough to change the negative tide. These acts can triumph over the negative. An example: "For it is in giving that we receive," part of the Prayer of Substitution--The Simple Prayer. The story is set forth as a parable. The stories of Joshua (the Shepherd), David (the boy), and Elizabeth (the slave woman) are intertwined as the three meet up through circumstance and go on a journey to discover the "new way." Along with the gray-bearded man that visits Joshua in his sleep, interesting characters, like the Snake Charmer, the Apothecary, the Blind Man help to guide the three safely. Although Davis sets the tale in centuries past the story is still timeless and relevant. The Book of the Shepherd will leave you with a sense of peace and purpose. by Judy Miller for Story Circle Book Reviews reviewing books by, for, and about women

Joshua the shepherd tries to intervene when the father beats his son while others cheer the dad on. Joshua knows the law is an "an eye for an eye", but that cannot be right. He asks the Lord why he failed to intercede and hears a whispered reply that he did by sending Joshua. Later the kindhearted shepherd dreams of an Old Man who tells him to seek "the new way." Former slave Elizabeth thanks him for interceding in saving her charge David's life; both having been kicked out by the lad's angry father. Joshua, Elizabeth and David begin a journey to find "the new way". On their trek they share their pasts and meet the Storyteller, the Apothecary, the Blind Man, and the Stranger; all provide them with assistance and morality lessons. The trio also meets evil wolves in sheep clothing. When they reach the destination cave near the Great Inland Sea, the three travelers know "the new way" awaits them deep inside, but will they overcome their fears to obtain what they seek. This is an interesting parable that explains the changes from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Targeting readers of all ages and including enhancing illustrations (by Sudi McCollum), The Book of the Shepherd is a terrific morality play based on "the story of one simple prayer, and how it changed the world"; The Peace Prayer validates the Law of Substitution allowing compassion not ire and avarice to be humanity's guide. Harriet Klausner

The Book of the Shepherd is "the story of one simple prayer, and how it changed the world," as the book's subtitle tells us. It's a charming tale, written in the form of an extended fable, about a shepherd who goes searching for a "new way" to replace the violent code of "an eye for an eye" that he finds in the harsh world around him. Along the way, the shepherd meets others, some of whom join him on his journey. Each person we encounter has a tale of his or her own, so the short novel becomes a series of interwoven stories, each with its own bit of wisdom to impart. The author of the book, Joann Davis (who "discovered" the manuscript "By the Scribe"), acknowledges in her Afterword the sources for the stories' insights, which range from Elaine Pagels' The Gnostic Gospels to M. Scott Peck and even Charlotte's Web. The "prayer that changed the world" is the classic Prayer of St. Francis, which in this story becomes the hidden treasure found by the shepherd and his companions on a parchment scroll in a dark and perilous cave. The prayer has been shortened and bowdlerized, perhaps to suit the "spiritual but not religious" audience to whom this book is being marketed. "Lord" and "O Divine Master" have been deleted (perhaps too "patriarchal" or "religious"?), so the prayer is addressed to no one in particular. But most annoyingly, a line has been added at the end of the prayer: "For this is the Law of Substitution." This added line has the effect of making a beautiful prayer that has inspired millions over the centuries sound like a PowerPoint presentation at a Deepak Chopra seminar. This short novel does not rise to the level of excellence found in Master of the Jinn by Irving Karchmar, which is (by far) the best book I've read in the "spiritual novel" genre. But The Book of the Shepherd also avoids the preachiness and wooden dialogue found in other "spiritual novels" like The Celestine Prophecy and The Way of the Peaceful Warrior. Apart from its tampering with the Prayer of St. Francis, The Book of the Shepherd is indeed "an inspiring and moving fable," as the cover blurb from Paulo Coelho claims.

This small book is an in one sense an allegory - how to be a survivor of life's problems and not its' victim, the changing of thought. These ideas have been put forth before in other spiritual writings. The editor says this account was found in a house recently purchased and had it translated. The book cover says this one simple prayer has changed the world. It could. Instead of an eye for an eye - give peace and mercy; give without judgment or expectation of a reward. What the editor says is the power is still to be unleashed by following the thoughts in this book and it will lead to a better life. It is a simple story of a journey by 3 young individuals. The book does make for comforting, easy reading. It would be worth the time for anyone interested in expanding or reaching for some more spiritual qualities.

Once in a blue moon a book comes along that is destined to be a classic for every man. The Book of the Shepherd is truly one of those rare gems that needs to sit on the shelf next to Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz and Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet. The story follows a hero's journey including such mythic elements as the child who was meant to die cast down the stream to be raised by a caring family and the journey into the depths of the earth (a cave) reappearing with new life or revelation with a cast of characters not unlike those of the Wizard of Oz in search of something that is only found within and each sharing their life stories along the journey. I could not put this down - read it in one sitting then came back to it again a few hours ago and read it again. The story is so uplifting and so incredibly simple and profound that I cannot wait to buy copies for everyone I know - it is the perfect gift. Thank-you Joann Davis for not only finding this book in your Vermont home but for following your intuition to have it translated for all the world to read. Last I heard, this book has been translated into 20 languages and being distributed around the world. It is a book you can pick up and read as a child, a young adult, through midlife and in old age to rediscover its truth which is not only inspiring but life changing.