All Things Wise and Wonderful (1976)

I remember my dad giving me these books for a birthday or xmas fairly early on, and I've loved them and returned to them ever since. Just re-listened to the excellent audio book version. _- love the accents, the humor, the wonderful setting, and the compassion to animals. Great storytelling. ( )

Lovely tales of veterinarian Jim Herriot and his adventures treating animals in WW2 England. Delightful and funny stories if you enjoy historicals and are an animal lover. ( )

What can I say about this wonderful book that has not already been said?

A truly unique and fulfilling reading experience, I recommend this book to anybody who has had a bad day, is tired, depressed, angry, generally feeling out of things. The stories are like therapy. I have rarely rad anything where the warm affection, the kindness and the love are so tangible. ( )

Although ALL THINGS WISE AND WONDERFUL has been out since the 1970s and although this book is the third in a series, it is the first of James Harriot‘s books that I’ve read. I loved it and wonder what took me so long.

Most of us know of Harriot's books even if we haven’t read them. They’re classics. He was a country veterinarian in England, and his books are stories of, mostly, his work with the various animals. Plus he also throws in some people stories here and there. In ALL THINGS WISE AND WONDERFUL, while he is training to be a pilot in the Royal Air Force, he remembers his time as a veterinarian during the 1930s.

While many readers like myself are easily bored by books of stories, this one is absorbing. Harriot‘s books were best sellers, and people all over the world love him. Now I do, too. I only wish he were still alive so I could tell him. ( )

I have read this so many times and it never gets old. So many parts make me laugh out loud with hilarious situations and often with their acute observations of Yorkshire farmers. I also spend a fair amount of time wiping away tears of emotion. I grew up in the Yorkshire Dales but now live in Canada. Because of social distancing, I wonder when my next trip will be. ( )