Running with Sherman: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero
Written and Narrated By: Christopher McDougall
Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
What a great story! And what’s this? Did the song at the end leave a tear or two in my eye?
We were quite simply looking for an Animals book that might inspire joy, might inspire gratitude. Looked around some, but decided on this, Running with Sherman written and brilliantly narrated by Christopher McDougall. A story of an abused and neglected donkey overcoming his sad situation and not only learning to live again, but growing and showing that love and dedication can work wonders in any soul. We just need a little help from each other, heck! We just need a little help from ourselves!
McDougall and his family kinda grudgingly take on the responsibility of a very, VERY sick donkey, removed from the “care” of a hoarder. Sherman the donkey comes to them starving, covered in dry feces, unmoving with hooves in horrendous shape, and unresponsive to even the most tender tone, the kindest word. It’s unclear as to whether he’ll survive—and thriving is but a total daydream. McDougall is kinda peeved because almost automatically he feels for this poor guy, and he’ll do anything for him.
Sherman is still withdrawn after food and vet care and that’s when the irrepressible best friend in the story, the quirky and loyal sidekick comes in. Enter: Lawrence… the goat. McDougall thinks Lawrence is going to tear into Sherman and take him down, cuz that’s Lawrence’s way. Instead, the two become instantly bonded, to the point where Sherman will actually move, walk, exert himself to save Lawrence in a time of perceived danger. Sherman is awake and alive and yes, he’s starting to show some spunk!
That’s when Christopher is advised that donkeys really do best in life when they have a job to do. Since there is no gold to mine for, he has to think and be clever when choosing a good job for Sherman. Aha! There’s a race waaaaaay over in Colorado (He and Sherman and the family live in Amish country in Pennsylvania. Uhm, kinda far away?) where (wo)men and donkeys run together to compete in this special World Championship. And so begins teaching Sherman to trust him enough, to trust other humans enough, to try it out. Sherman, who’s been sensorily deprived for yeeeears, must now get out into the big wide open and trust his surroundings, that the people who love him will never harm him and will keep him safe. And that maybe, just maybe, there are good, exciting, and brand new things to be discovered out in the world.
One of the things that I really like about this book is how animals come together, how people come together. And how all find healing through their working with each other. A young man, depressed and home from college after a suicide attempt, is chosen to run with Sherman, with marvelous and touching results. Two wacky women who’ve been through a lot in their many years on the planet, offer to long-haul Sherman and Four-Legged Co. to Colorado, and what Christopher learns from them, from what’s happened to them, from the way they choose to seize the here and now, and from how they cope with tragedy in Colorado, is memorable indeed. And of course, there’s how Sherman bonds MIGHTILY with Flower and Matilda and trusts them so very much, he just can’t be without them. What other creature on the face of this earth will send up such a joyful NOISE when greeting a friend as a donkey does?!!
This is a story that respects everybody, be they animal, human, of another religion (And McDougall really starts coming to see what people love about what they embrace in life; he learns to not judge!). I learned a lot, and appreciated it all. It’s just that darned if I didn’t blow out a few guffaws even at some of the most touching points, even those times of nonjudgment and self-awareness. But I s’pose that has a lot to do with the fact that, for McDougall, being aware of yourself just gives you that much more stuff to laugh at.
And make sure you listen to the song at the end. I’m not quiiiiite sure whose perspective it was written from, but I morphed it in my head to have the words coming from The Miss, an abandoned girl who might’ve given up hoping at times during her long years on the streets. I’d like to think that this family she came into was sooo good that she never ever dreamed it could be so wonderful…!
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