As a rule, I never re-read books. To me, it seems like a waste of precious reading time. There are exceptions to every rule, though, and the books by James Herriot are one of those. I mostly read them as in-between books: When I’ve finished a book and cannot review it right away as I usually would, I open a Herriot and am right back in his beloved Yorkshire Dales.

This book is the first of a series of books that are essentially memoirs of Herriot's experiences as a young veterinarian in the Yorkshire Dales, beginning in the 1930s. It is a heartwarming and humorous account of his encounters with animals and their owners, as well as his struggles to establish himself as a veterinarian in a rural community.

Herriot's love for both animals and people shines through in his writing. He has a great empathy for both his animal patients and their owners, and he portrays them with warmth, humour, and a deep respect. He admires and celebrates the majestic bovines and their proud owners but nobody is beneath him - he helps the impoverished old man and his dying dog just as kindly and empathetically as everyone else.
He portrays them as hardworking, down-to-earth, and deeply connected to the land and the animals they care for.

One of the things that makes Herriot's books so special is his ability to capture the unique personalities and quirks of the animals he encounters: From mischievous cattle and stubborn horses to spoiled Pekinese Tricky-Woo; Herriot has a special talent for bringing them to life on the page, and his descriptions of their behaviour and mannerisms are both funny and touching.

Overall, Herriot's books are a testament to the power of compassion, empathy, and love, both for animals and for our fellow human beings. They are a joy to read, laugh-out-loud funny at times, heart-wrenching at others, and they remind us of the beauty and wonder of the natural world, as well as the importance of kindness and connection in our lives.

Once more, five stars out of five.

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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam ( )

A reread after watching a couple of episodes of the new dramatisation of Herriot's work. The book is, as a remember, lighter, more joyful and funnier. Yes there are some dark undertones but there is a love (for people, anmimals and place) that underlies the writing that seems largely absent in the new adaptation. ( )

I remember watching the original series based on the James Herriot books when I was little, and the recent remake - bland and somewhat unconvincing, more Tumblr farmcore than pre-war Yorkshire - inspired me to revisit the show and finally start on the books. Neither thrilled me, I have to admit.

The adaptations try to knit Herriot's professional memoirs into a soap opera but both are far too repetitive to sustain my interest for long. Herriot - real name Alf Wight - was a vet who moved to the Yorkshire Dales in the 1930s and joined an irascible but lively 'vitnery' called Siegfried and his younger brother Tristan (Donald and Brian Sinclair), also training to join the practice. Apart from quirky cameos from Mrs Pumphrey and Tricki Woo, the first book in the series consists of James sticking his arm up the bottoms of various cows, pigs and horses while receiving laconic commentary from blunt Yorkshire farmers. That's it, that's the book, and the show.

Some of the 'episodes', which were translated very faithfully to the small screen until James Herriot ran out of books, are sad - a horse with torsion in severe pain, and the poor old man with his dog who made me cry - but mostly Herriot was relying on Siegfried bellowing at Tristan and adventures with wayward animals. Great for the first few chapters and then reading became a chore.

I'll wait another ten years and then pick up the rest of the series. ( )

Very funny memoirs of a vet in 1930s Yorkshire. ( )

I love All Creatures Great and Small, the tv series, so thought I should read the books, so I started with this first one. What a delight to read and enjoy again! If you love animals, then you must read these books. They are warm and a wonderful rendition of 1930's Yorkshire. We can all use a little walk down memory lane in these trying times, and I can think of no better place to start then with Herriot's memoirs. Thanks to my Brit TV fan club for turning me onto these stories. ( )