I'm currently reading this book and from the moment I opened it, I found myself completely engrossed!

As a donkey owner myself, Andy Merrifield has it spot on when he describes Gribouille, his companion donkey he is walking with through southern France. It's clear Andy has done a lot of research in finding out about donkeys before he sets off on his walk.

In just the first few pages, I had tears in my eyes as he relates the characteristics of donkeys to the reader - bringing back memories and feelings I had when taking my two donkeys for walks.

The book is about Andy Merrifield's search for presence and tranquility as he "set out on a journey of the soul with Gribouille, a friend's donkey, to walk amid the ruins and spectacular vistas of the Haute-Auvergne in southern France. The purposeful pace of the journey and the nobility of his humble donkey companion allow Merrifield to confront himself as well as to consider the larger mysteries of life, existence and fulfillment."

These two sentences at the end of Chapter 17 brought a smile to my face:

"If you let yourself drift into the donkey world, taking simple little strides and slow deep breaths, calm reigns. Things happen with clarity, with simplicity, decisively - like eating dandelions".

I also liked the comment on the Sanctuary's website by Jenny L. Bates which she posted about Tarnia. At the end she added:

"Thank you to all at the Sanctuary. And we can all now picture ourselves being escorted by a million "warm baguettes" as Andy Merrifield describes dear Gribouille's ears!"

The Wisdom of Donkeys, published earlier this year, is a definite read and a book I will probably keep on reading in years to come. It is also a wonderful book to read out loud - something both my partner and I do on an evening.