Description

Edited by his son Alexander James Macdonald (Rev Alex Macdonald (Retired) Bon Accord Free Church, Aberdeen, Buccleuch & Greyfriars Free Church, Edinburgh.

Colin MacDonald’s life-story from boy to head shepherd in Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands records the changes, the people, and the developing agricultural land-use of the moors and hills. He writes with perception and humour, vividly bringing alive times past, a native insider telling the story from within.
A famous stockman and sheep breeder, his perspective shows society and land-use forever changing and dynamic; colourful individuals back-lit by a harsh and beautiful landscape. It is part of the canon of essential reading in understanding the Scottish Highlands.
Sir Michael Wigan
Author and journalist

This is ‘natural ethnology’ at its very best. The book teems with anecdotes, as Colin’s memory ranges across the years. He is a first-class storyteller, bringing to life a wonderful gallery of characters, their strengths, weaknesses, and temperaments. They are all here—from the lords and ladies who came to shoot and hunt, to the sons and daughters of toil, the native stock who ensured that ‘life went on’ in good times and bad.
Colin MacDonald emerges as a man who lived his life to the full, ready for every new challenge, including several years in the British Army, described with great precision. He endured the rough and tumble of his experiences not merely by his remarkable physical strength, but pre-eminently by his robust Christian faith, which shines through his writing. It is particularly noticeable that Colin’s faith was integrative and inclusive, devoid of the negativity which is all too often the common perception of ‘Christianity’ in the Scottish Highlands.
Donald Meek
Retired Professor of Scottish and Gaelic Studies at the University of Edinburgh

And The Shepherd Sang is a personal literary journey that weaves together the author’s vivid experiences and a deep-rooted connection to the land of Sutherland, its people, and its colourful characters. Colin MacDonald offers the reader an intimate portrayal of life on the estate, the rivers and the moors through a rich tapestry of stories, anecdotes, and historical details. This approach sets the book apart from others in its genre. The author conveys a strong sense of place, a profound and sensitive depth of knowledge, and a depiction of Highland life that has passed but is eloquently remembered for future generations. This is a book you must add to your reading list.
Jacquie Aitken
Heritage and Digital Curator, Timespan