Official Review: Bedu: Bedouin Boy, Poet King

[mmm17]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Bedu: Bedouin Boy, Poet King" by David W. Sutherland and Paul McKellips.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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In Bedu: Bedouin Boy, Poet King, written by David W. Sutherland and Paul McKellips, the story of a young shepherd provides the background for an original book about virtue, ethics, and leadership. Bedu’s journey forms the center of the narrative, and it is full of enchanting adventure.

This delightful tale begins simple enough, around 30 AD, with twenty-one-year-old Bedu living a modest life with his family in Damascus. Everything changes when King Melchior unexpectedly arrives at their humble home with his army and also his granddaughter Yasmin. To Bedu’s dismay, his father (Abbas) spends everything he has to accommodate the visitors. During their stay, Bedu learns things that happened thirty years before. Melchior narrates how he then left Persia on a camel to follow a star. At the same time, Abbas was traveling to Hebron to purchase sheep. While camped in Bethlehem, Abbas met Melchior and his two companions (Gaspar and Balthasar) coming back from their journey. Before Melchior leaves, he asks Bedu to do two things. First, to check on Yasmin in Bsharri during the winter. Second, Bedu is to travel the path to Hebron to replenish his father’s stock.

Underneath the sheer simplicity of this poetic fable, the authors masterfully weave a wealth of ancient history and myth, using historical and biblical events and places as background. Their knowledge of the Middle East is evident, and it shows in the detailed descriptions of Bsharri, Damascus, and Hebron, which are nodal points of the region. For instance, traces of the majestic cedars in the forest of God, planted by Yasmin in the story, exist to this day in Lebanon.

Throughout the journey, with each difficulty encountered, Bedu meditates on one of seven principles: Collaborate, Understanding, Leadership, Treat, Unleash, Respect, Evolve (CULTURE). The authors point out how not only individuals but also organizations can benefit from these lessons.

But above all, the subtle biblical references give a unique flavor to the book. The allusions to the story of the three wise men (Magi) from the East who visited Jesus right after his birth are endearing. Bedu’s life-changing encounter with a remarkable man on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, near Capernaum, is the book’s climax, but I won’t give away more than that!

I rate this singular book 4 out of 4 stars without hesitation. It is a poetic fable with valuable lessons for individuals, families, and organizations alike. It seems professionally edited, and there’s nothing I didn’t like about it. I recommend it to readers who enjoy simple but profoundly symbolic tales. I also believe it could appeal to parents, leaders, and coaches of all kinds, as a basis for discussions about values and leadership.

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Bedu: Bedouin Boy, Poet King
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[MsH2k]

Your description of this book has piqued my curiosity. I think I would like this simple but profoundly symbolic tale. Thank you for your review.

[Nisha Ward]

Oh cool. Books like these are nice to read because they open up Biblical times to a wider range of PoVs that show just how far Jesus' influence would have spread even without a lot of direct contact. I kind of like that.

[Damis Seres Rodriguez]

I really liked the historical setting of the book. It was great to read the description of the way they lived back then. Probably not completely accurate, but sweet regardless.

[Authentic Voice]

Indeed this is a heart warming tale. Great review.