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The Best of James Herriot: Hard to imagine a biography of an English country veterinarian among the classics of British literature? Not if you're familiar with James Herriot. While he may not have arranged syllables and sonnets in the grand manner of some of his predecessors, his simple reminisces have earned a well-deserved place in the hearts (and bookshelves) of readers everywhere for both the poignancy with which he describes human and animal interaction and his archive of twentieth-century British life. I first discovered All Creatures Great and Small, Herriot's first book, amid shelves of musty paperbacks at the local used bookstore in my hometown. I instantly pegged it for more formulaic religious fiction since its title referenced the Cecil Alexander verse* plastered on the infamous Home Interior products everywhere at the time. But I pulled it from the shelf and was in turn pulled in by its cover collage. Small scenes of farm life, animals, and an earnest-looking veterinarian greeted me along with a declaration that this was a "heartwarming true story." I skipped right past endless excerpts from famous book reviews praising the bestseller and jumped into what would soon become one of my own praised favorites. Ninety-five cents later, a fifth-grader was set for some heavy-duty summer reading. Dr. Herriot let me ride along on his visits across rural Yorkshire as he attended to sick farm animals and every manner of human being in the process. He was a most gracious host, and even when we were having a hard time of it after losing a dear pet, Dr. Herriot's genteel sensibilities and warm sense of humor always encouraged me to see the best in all of life's situations. Though his recurrent theme seemed to be that humans are very akin to animals, his presentation of both groups always exalts their most noble features and the very wonder of creation itself. Over and over Herriot reinforces an awe for all things created and somehow leaves readers at the end of his day feeling a little more positive about who we are and the world around us. The most poignant of these happy memories and uplifting journeys are collected in The Best of James Herriot: Favourite Memories of a Country Vet, published in 1982 by St. Martins Press and revised in 1998. This edition includes generous sections of color photographs of the Yorkshire region, charming illustrations, and informational margin notes. Even if you're not able to get your hands on this handsome volume, Herriot has more than nine works (All Creatures Great and Small, All Things Bright and Beautiful, All Things Wise and Wonderful, The Lord God Made Them All, etc.) still in print and offering readers an enjoyable, life-affirming venture. You'll love it if you love animals. You'll love it if you love people. ...You'll just love it. * “All things bright and beautiful/ All creatures great and small/ All things wise and wonderful/ the Lord God made them all.” --Cecil Frances Alexander 1818-1895.
ninetyandnine.com © 2003, Lee Ann Alexander --------- Lee Ann Alexander is a recent English literature graduate with special interests in modern American fiction. She is currently seeking employment as a technical writer at the risk of cutting down on her fishing time. |
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