The Lost Flock by Jane Cooper

The Lost Flock

Rare Wool, Wild Isles and One Woman's Journey to Save Scotland's Original Sheep

Jane Cooper

Rizzoli · Print & ebook · September 14, 2023

"A windswept love letter"—Cal Flyn, author of Islands of Abandonment From Viking times to pastoral Highland crofts to odious research experiments, this is the untold, real-life detective story of the remarkable little horned sheep known as the Orkney Boreray and the determined woman who moved to one of Scotland's wildest islands to save them.

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Who it’s for
A rare-sheep mystery meets island life in a story of patient investigation and devoted stewardship.
Themes
Rare-breed sheep conservation, Knitting and distinctive wool, Rural life in the Orkney Islands
Genres
Naturalists' Lives, Knitting, Scottish History

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About this book

"A windswept love letter"—Cal Flyn, author of Islands of Abandonment From Viking times to pastoral Highland crofts to odious research experiments, this is the untold, real-life detective story of the remarkable little horned sheep known as the Orkney Boreray and the determined woman who moved to one of Scotland's wildest islands to save them. It was Jane Cooper’s passion for knitting that led her to search for rare-breed sheep and their distinctive wool.

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When she found a ‘lost flock’ of Boreray sheep—the UK’s rarest breed of sheep—it ignited a quest that would ultimately change her life. Uprooting her suburban existence in Newcastle, she embarked on a new adventure as a farmer and shepherd in the faraway Orkney Islands. There, to her astonishment, Jane realized that she was the sole custodian of the last remnants of a unique group of Boreray sheep, what then became her Orkney Boreray flock. She began investigating its mysterious and ancient history, tracking down the origins of the breed, its significance to Scotland’s natural heritage, and the importance of protecting the Orkney Boreray from extinction. "Jane Cooper combines intelligence, heart and passion to create a life of integrity not only for herself but for one of the rarest breeds of sheep on the planet. . . . Her trials and triumphs offer a stellar example for others to follow in their own ways. Bravo!"—Deborah Robson, author of The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook

Wool, Wildness, and Care

A rare-sheep mystery meets island life in a story of patient investigation and devoted stewardship.

Come here for

  • The pull of an ancient breed and its uncertain history
  • A knitting passion that leads to an unexpected life among sheep

Expect

  • A real-life detective story rooted in Scotland’s natural heritage
  • A personal quest shaped by the work of protecting a rare flock

Where it sits

Naturalists' Lives48%
Scottish History37%
Knitting35%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Fashion & Textiles Business
  • Knitting
  • Fiber Arts
Authors
Jane Cooper
Publisher
Rizzoli
Published
September 14, 2023
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Rare-breed sheep conservation · Knitting and distinctive wool · Rural life in the Orkney Islands
Reading lane
Fashion & Textiles Business