What do You think about James Herriot: All Creatures Great And Small/All Things Bright And Beautiful/All Things Wise And Wonderful/The Lord God Made Them All/Boxed Set (1990)?
James Herriot is another one of my top writer-heroes. He finds great truth and humor in the ordinary people and situations he encountered as a vet in the most unlikely of places for great classic biography. Like Asimov, his writing style is transparent taking the reader directly to the heart of the story and, especially, the characters. I'm sure his creativity embellished the stories he told, but the truth reigns supreme as we all recognize the people and situations he recounts. Of course, I love animals and that makes his stories all the more appealing because of his deep understanding of the relationship between humanity and our friends on this Earth. I hope that when I venture into memoir writing, I can achieve just a fraction of the success James Herriot has portraying humanity.
—R J Mirabal
By far the best reads for animal stories. I started reading James Herriot's books when I was in my early teens. And I reread all of them years later when I had a better command of English and a better sense of the world and the culture of Dr Herriot's homeland.All these books have shaped my respect and concern for the welfare of animals (esp dogs, cats, pigs and horses). His passion for his job as a vet coupled with his devotion to his clients comes across in all his books. More importantly, every chapter either makes you shed a tear or laugh out loud. To this day, some of his stories are still in my mind and they make me smile. There is love and humanity in this world afterall. :)I mourn the passing of this great vet and an even greater story teller.
—Katarina
