Three Bags Full

infobox Book |
name = Three Bags Full
title_orig = "Glennkill: Ein Schafskrimi"
translator = Anthea Bell


image_caption = Hardcover edition
author = Leonie Swann
country = Germany
language = German
genre = Detective novel
publisher = Transworld Publishers Limited, Doubleday Publishing, Randomhouse Inc.
pub_date = 2005
english_pub_date = 2006
isbn = ISBN 0385609949
pages = 368 pp

"Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story" (original German title: "Glennkill: Ein Schafskrimi") is a work of detective fiction which features a flock of anthropomorphic Irish sheep out to solve the murder of their shepherd. Written originally in German by Leonie Swann, the novel has been translated in to more than 15 languages.cite news |first=Ian |last=Brunskill |title=Graze anatomy |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,23116-2206864.html |work=The Times |date= |accessdate=2008-01-13 ]

Plot introduction

The sheep belonging to George Glenn awake to find their shepherd dead with a spade in his middle, and resolve to solve his murder. The story is set in the fictional Irish village of Glennkill.

Major themes

Largely humorous in character, the novel displays a strong knowledge of sheep behavior, biology, husbandry and breeds (the merino and hebridean are present, among others).cite news |first=Jane |last=Jakeman |authorlink=Jane Jakeman |title=Four legs good, two legs bad |url=http://arts.independent.co.uk/books/reviews/article1094896.ece |work=The Independent |date=June 23, 2006 |accessdate=2008-01-13 ] cite news |first=Hallie |last=Ephron |title=Sherlocks in sheep's clothing |url=http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2007/06/24/sherlocks_in_sheeps_clothing/ |work=The Boston Globe |date=June 24, 2007 |accessdate=2008-01-13 ] Using the perspective of the flock, Swann makes comedic jabs at human character and institutions.cite news |first=Ian |last=Sansom |authorlink=Ian Sansom |title= A shaggy sheep story |url=http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1825875,00.html |work=The Guardian |date=July 22, 2006 |accessdate=2008-01-13 ] cite news |first=Amy |last=Vishrup |title=Books Newly Released |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/21/books/21newl.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=%22three+bags+full%22&oref=slogin |work=The New York Times |date= June 21, 2007 |accessdate=2008-01-13 ]

Characters

* George Glenkill — the murdered shepherd
* Maude — a ewe with a powerful sense of smell
* Sir Ritchfield — the lead ram of the flock
* Miss Maple — the cleverest sheep in the flock, Glenkill, and possibly the world
* Heather — a lively young sheep
* Cloud — the wooliest sheep in the flock
* Mopple the Whale — a merino ram, the memory sheep of the flock, and the sheep with the largest appetite
* Othello — a black Hebridean ram with four horns, who was rescued by George from a dog-fight years earlier
* Zora — a black–faced ewe with an unusual fascination with abysses
* Rameses — a young ram
* Lane — the quickest sheep in the flock
* Sara — a ewe
* A Lamb — the eyewitness to the murder
* Melmoth — Sir Ritchfield's twin brother, who had once left the herd but returned years later
* Cordelia — a ewe that likes odd words
* Maise — a naive young ewe
* Willow — the second–most silent sheep in the flock
* Gabriel's Ram — a very strange sheep
* Fosco — a sheep that thinks himself clever
* Ham — Glenkill's butcher and general enemy of sheep

References

External links

* [http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780385521116 Three Bags Full] at Random House's U.S. site