From Goodreads: "Delve into the magical,
unforgettable world of James Herriot, the world's most beloved
veterinarian, and his menagerie of heartwarming, funny, and tragic
animal patients...
In All Creatures Great and Small,
we meet the young Herriot as he takes up his calling and discovers that
the realities of veterinary practice in rural Yorkshire are very
different from the sterile setting of veterinary school. Some visits are
heart-wrenchingly difficult, such as one to an old man in the village
whose very ill dog is his only friend and companion, some are
lighthearted and fun, such as Herriot's periodic visits to the overfed
and pampered Pekinese Tricki Woo who throws parties and has his own
stationery, and yet others are inspirational and enlightening, such as
Herriot's recollections of poor farmers who will scrape their meager
earnings together to be able to get proper care for their working
animals. From seeing to his patients in the depths of winter on the
remotest homesteads to dealing with uncooperative owners and critically
ill animals, Herriot discovers the wondrous variety and never-ending
challenges of veterinary practice as his humor, compassion, and love of
the animal world shine forth."
There are some books that are quite simply meant to be read in front of a roaring fire as you sip from a steaming mug of hot chocolate. All Creatures Great and Small is just that sort of book. James Herriot's tales of life as a country veterinarian are both humorous and heartwarming. Herriot writes with deep affection for the people he served and the animals that he cared for. It is hard to read this book without feeling the same affection that he felt for the people and animals he worked with. Herriot has a gift for seeing the humor in absurd situations, and he had his fair share of those. He perfectly captures the quirks and personality of the animals he worked with and vibrantly paints the characters of the people who he associated with. One of my favorite things about this book is that I can't re-read it without feeling like I'm getting reacquainted with old friends. I find myself feeling as though I, too, have been traversing the English countryside (although I, unlike Harriot, am not often wet, cold, and exhausted.)
In my opinion, a good memoir is engaging and is honest about both the good and bad of the author's life. Herriot tells openly of mistakes he made and days when it was all just a bit too much. But every story, every disappointment and embarrassment, always comes back to his love for the people and animals with whom he associated.
This book is a great choice if you're busy and want to read a book in which each chapter includes a complete story. However, there are also plot threads that tie the book together, which makes the book an excellent choice for any busy person looking for a compelling book that they can read a chapter or two at a time and still be engaged by the story. There's nothing worse than trying to stay excited about dry, unconnected stories, unless it's reading a book with only one plot without having time to finish it quickly. You won't have to worry about either of those problems while reading All Creatures Great and Small.
"We had just about decided that the man with a lot of animals couldn't be expected to feel affection for individuals among them. But those buildings back there were full of John Skipton's animals - he must have hundreds. Yet what made him trail down that hillside every day in all weathers? Why had he filled the last years of those two old horses with peace and beauty? Why had he given them a final ease and comfort which he had withheld from himself? It could only be love."
"If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans."
Have you read All Creatures Great and Small? What did you think of it? If you haven't yet read the rest of the series, every book is excellent.
Until next time,
Rachel
You can share this review on Twitter, Facebook and Google+ by using the links at the bottom of the post!
In All Creatures Great and Small,
we meet the young Herriot as he takes up his calling and discovers that
the realities of veterinary practice in rural Yorkshire are very
different from the sterile setting of veterinary school. Some visits are
heart-wrenchingly difficult, such as one to an old man in the village
whose very ill dog is his only friend and companion, some are
lighthearted and fun, such as Herriot's periodic visits to the overfed
and pampered Pekinese Tricki Woo who throws parties and has his own
stationery, and yet others are inspirational and enlightening, such as
Herriot's recollections of poor farmers who will scrape their meager
earnings together to be able to get proper care for their working
animals. From seeing to his patients in the depths of winter on the
remotest homesteads to dealing with uncooperative owners and critically
ill animals, Herriot discovers the wondrous variety and never-ending
challenges of veterinary practice as his humor, compassion, and love of
the animal world shine forth."There are some books that are quite simply meant to be read in front of a roaring fire as you sip from a steaming mug of hot chocolate. All Creatures Great and Small is just that sort of book. James Herriot's tales of life as a country veterinarian are both humorous and heartwarming. Herriot writes with deep affection for the people he served and the animals that he cared for. It is hard to read this book without feeling the same affection that he felt for the people and animals he worked with. Herriot has a gift for seeing the humor in absurd situations, and he had his fair share of those. He perfectly captures the quirks and personality of the animals he worked with and vibrantly paints the characters of the people who he associated with. One of my favorite things about this book is that I can't re-read it without feeling like I'm getting reacquainted with old friends. I find myself feeling as though I, too, have been traversing the English countryside (although I, unlike Harriot, am not often wet, cold, and exhausted.)
In my opinion, a good memoir is engaging and is honest about both the good and bad of the author's life. Herriot tells openly of mistakes he made and days when it was all just a bit too much. But every story, every disappointment and embarrassment, always comes back to his love for the people and animals with whom he associated.
This book is a great choice if you're busy and want to read a book in which each chapter includes a complete story. However, there are also plot threads that tie the book together, which makes the book an excellent choice for any busy person looking for a compelling book that they can read a chapter or two at a time and still be engaged by the story. There's nothing worse than trying to stay excited about dry, unconnected stories, unless it's reading a book with only one plot without having time to finish it quickly. You won't have to worry about either of those problems while reading All Creatures Great and Small.
"We had just about decided that the man with a lot of animals couldn't be expected to feel affection for individuals among them. But those buildings back there were full of John Skipton's animals - he must have hundreds. Yet what made him trail down that hillside every day in all weathers? Why had he filled the last years of those two old horses with peace and beauty? Why had he given them a final ease and comfort which he had withheld from himself? It could only be love."
"If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans."
Have you read All Creatures Great and Small? What did you think of it? If you haven't yet read the rest of the series, every book is excellent.
Until next time,
Rachel
You can share this review on Twitter, Facebook and Google+ by using the links at the bottom of the post!
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