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Every Living Thing (All Creatures Great and Small #5)

4.38 of 5 stars 4.38 · rating details · 4,170 ratings · 145 reviews

James Herriot has captivated millions of readers and television viewers with tales of the triumphs, disasters, pride and sometimes heartache that filled his life as a vet in the Yorkshire Dales. "Every Living Thing" shines with the captivating storytelling that has made James Herriot a favourite the world over.

Here is a book for all those who find laughter and joy in anima...more

Paperback, 384 pages

Published July 31st 2006 by Pan Books (first published January 1st 1992)

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Mar 29, 2009 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Here this wonderful narrator has become a "quaint old fossil." Instead of the freshfaced and inexperienced newcomer in the first books, now he has the experience of training new vets, raising his own family, and gradually settling into comfortable curmudgeonliness. I still want to give him a huge hug and sit with him by the fire and sip tea, even if this book has lost a touch of the narrative focus of the earlier ones.

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Jan 08, 2013 Cameron Amaya rated it 3 of 5 stars

Review of Every Living Thing by James Herriot

James Herriot is an extraordinary author, with a way to flow emotions onto the page. his books are colorful and filled with joy, but none quite like Every Living thing. This book is the story of a long life of veterinary practice out in the country, and the main character and veterinary is none other than the author, James Herriot.

James Herriot is a country vet out in the Yorkshire Dales of Great Britain. This book is a collection of tales of veterina...more

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Feb 03, 2011 Eniko rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book! :o) James Herriot is such a good writer. In an early chapter of the book, he manages to summarise his relationship with one of his assistants so well that at the end of the chapter I felt so nostalgic and was sad that the fellow had left the practice. Herriot does the same thing with another assistant, but describes their relationship throughout the book, leaving me with the same feeling of sadness that this person is no longer there.
I was also pleased to come acro...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Joanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

And so ends the 5-volume series loosely based on the life of veterinary surgeon Alf Wight,who wrote so beautifully and engagingly as James Herriot. His magnum opus-- arguably the least narcisisstic, most unselfconscious memoir of all time-- is brilliant. I hated to see these books end so much that I convinced my husband to detour through Yorkshire on our most recent trip to England for one last Herriot fix. We visited his surgery at Skeldale House in the market town of Thirsk (the inspiration fo...more

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Apr 06, 2011 Blah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: and, audible-library, audiobook

Honestly, I think I enjoyed the first two (US Omnibus editions) Herriot books the very best, Right around the third, I started to notice scarcity of some of my beloved characters particularly the Farnon brothers and Mrs. Pomfrey. Where Herriot most sparkled was in those besotted gin-soaked bachelor days in the old drawing room at Skeldale house. Now Tristan is off being responsible and Siegfried is off being sensible, and even the beloved old house is abandoned as a place to live.

Perhaps it's me...more

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Apr 06, 2011 Brett rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, audible, my-library

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Oct 09, 2011 Valerie added it · review of another edition

One of the reviews of this volume says that Herriot published 8 books. I'm a bit puzzled by the count. I know, for example, that there was a separate publication of Only One Woof, and I think another story (perhaps Judy the Nurse Dog?) was also published seperately. And of course, there's James Herriot's Yorkshire. I suppose that does make 8--but I'm not sure of the other single story.

Where The Lord God Made Them All several times overtly quotes a journal (reinforcing my belief that Herriot rout...more One of the reviews of this volume says that Herriot published 8 books. I'm a bit puzzled by the count. I know, for example, that there was a separate publication of Only One Woof, and I think another story (perhaps Judy the Nurse Dog?) was also published seperately. And of course, there's James Herriot's Yorkshire. I suppose that does make 8--but I'm not sure of the other single story.

Where The Lord God Made Them All several times overtly quotes a journal (reinforcing my belief that Herriot routinely maintained a diary, despite his repeated disdain for 'paperwork'), the other books genererally retain an anecdotal air, and this is no exception. This volume, published in 1992, was apparently Herriot's last work, and is mostly the gleanings and leftovers from the other four, supplemented by stories from later years.

It would be worthwhile to create an index of the whole series, so that people could seek out their favorite story. Another project I personally probably won't have time for (like I needed any more).

One odd note: I think Herriot's often expressed hatred of change may have caused him to fail of inventiveness sometimes. For example, when he described the injuries to older cows with sagging udders, I mulled it over for a while, and then wondered "Why couldn't they just supply the cows with bras?" A quick Google search, and it turns out they could. Bras for cows were invented in the 1940s, and began gaining popularity in the '60s. But if Herriot ever heard of them, he doesn't mention it.

Note also that there's a tendency not to recognize how many of the ailments depicted are also human ailments. 'Fistulous withers' is not a human condition, likely (I'm pretty sure humans don't have withers), but fistulae DO occur in humans (usually women who have been raped), and can be severely disabling. Likely there are also broken bones that never knit, and other probelms. I know, for example, that prolapsed uterus is a condition that effects humans. And when I learned that there was a vaccine for e coli in cattle, I checked to see if there was a human one. There is--but there must be some problem with it--otherwise, why wouldn't humans be routinely vaccinated against one of the commonest causes of food poisoning?

I also was rather shocked to find that 'spaying' involves a complete hysterectomy. I had assumed that female animals would be neutered in a complementary way to males (removing the ovaries only, as the males generally have the testicles crushed and the vas deferens cut). I'm not sure, but I suspect there would be health consequences from routine hysterectomies, and some are casually mentioned in this book, though how common they are is not mentioned.

One secret of Herriot's enduring popularity was probably his indefagitable optimism. This was not any kind of 'positive thinking'. There's no doubt the man often anticipated the worst outcome, and was often agreeably shocked when he managed to pull out a miracle (often for no reason he could discern). What I'm referring to is a tendency to enjoy life, and a hopeful outlook (the belief that things would improve, and that the present has its problems, but that life, in general, is as he would wish it). This book, though written very late in Herriot's life, ends on a hopeful note, as Herriot looks forward to befriending a very shy feral cat, and manages to convince himself that it's possible. He ends as he began, looking forward.

This does have its disadvantages (as when he complacently accepts loss of genetic diversity, for example), but it also has its value, if tempered by careful critical analysis. There tends to be a premise that any change is for the better. But note that in several cases where people build basically sterilized piggeries, the pigs begin to suffer serious communicable diseases. Pigs in ancient times were turned out to pasture (well, foraging in forests, really). This had significant advantages over even the cleanest confinement. The pigs were not in close proximity to each other and to humans, nor to their own excrement. So there would have been a lot less cross-contamination within and between species (influenza, to state one of the most obvious). This may not be practicable in the largely deforested England of the present--but it may be a good argument for reforestation of denuded hillsides, and one few people may have considered yet.(less)

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Jan 24, 2012 Maura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fic

I was very into this series back in high school -- read all the books, watched it on PBS, loved loved loved it. and when i wanted something for the ride to my folks' house, it seemed like a good choice. it certainly was, tho it's probably not good to be driving and waving your arms shouting "ick ick ick!" when they describe various messy procedures. [how i ever dreamt i'd make a good veterinarian is beyond me.] i didn't actually finish listening to the whole thing before i had to return the tape...more

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Mar 28, 2009 Denise rated it 4 of 5 stars

The stories are fun and quick. I didn’t think the book was going to be very interesting at first, but I quickly got into it. The accent was a little hard to get used to; sometimes I had to read the same lines over and over. James is kind and thoughtful. It would be so much fun to be an assistant to him. I just kept thinking: does anyone like this anymore? The description of the scenery made me want to visit. It’s a cute collection of stories.

Lines that I loved:
When an animals lonely, there’s no...more

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May 11, 2011 Brittany rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, sciencewriting

This is a very fitting last book to James Herriot's collection. In it, he and Helen move several times, and he details each move and house and what it represents to him. He also details the characters, arrivals, acclimatisations, and departures or two memorable veterinary assistants, both of which make for very compelling reading, though the "vet wi' the badger" is my favorite.

The book culminates with a very small, personal, tender story of Herriot and his own cats. This is one of the very best...more

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Jul 27, 2009 Mom rated it 5 of 5 stars

James Herriot has captivated millions of readers and television viewers with tales of the triumph, disaster, pride and sometimes heartache that filled his life as a vet in the Yorkshire Dales. Every Living Thing shines with the captivating storytelling that has made James Herriot a favourite across the world. Here is a book for those who find laughter and joy in animals, and who know and understand the magic of wild places and beautiful countryside.

We read this on a few rock trips...pure enjoyme...more

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Apr 22, 2013 John W. rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Natasha Draper

Very entertaining vignettes into the veterinary profession. This is the kind of book that you want to share with someone. Originally read this in about 1995. It was a keeper then. Now I want to share it with someone

POSTED THIS COMMENT IN #MOODBOOSTING:
James Herriot's "Every Living Thing". Just finished reading it again. Read it originally around 1995. Very pleasant to read. I want to share this with the granddaughter who is in school to become a nurse. Not quite the same profession but some of h...more

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Mar 01, 2010 Vicki rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm not actually sure if I've read this one before. In any case...It was great to settle in with an old friend. I read this series over & over in my childhood years, up through high school. James Herriot is why I wanted to be a vet--until I came up against chemistry, that is! I LOVELOVELOVE this entire series. His warmth, intuitive descriptions of his animal patients and their humans, and genuine delight of life are a wonderful gift to the world. I'm reviewing all the books in this series th...more

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Jan 15, 2010 Pumsish rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, translated, favorites

เป็นสัตวแพทย์สมัยก่อนที่ชนบทแสนสวยของอังกฤษนี่มีเรื่องสนุกๆ เยอะดีเนอะ
อ่านแล้วนึกถึงเรื่องเหมืองแร่เล็กน้อย ตรงที่เป็นเรื่องสั้นถ่ายทอดประสบการณ์ที่จบได้ตลก หรือซึ้ง (แต่เรื่องนี้ไม่มีหักมุม)

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May 18, 2013 Charlotte rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Budding vets and animal lovers of all ages

Recommended to Charlotte by: A friend

Shelves: adult-books

Really loved this book. I have the others in the series however haven't read them yet. I particularly appreciated them, being someone who has always aspired to one day be a vet, it was really nice to read about the 'tails' of another vet. The characters were mostly charming and the animals ever endearing. It was well written and often quite funny at times which made it all the more enjoyable! I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series. Also what is brilliant is that all a...more

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Nov 19, 2009 Vicki rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm glad I finished out this series. I own the first couple, but never had read all of them. He may have one or two more books I haven't read, but the library doesn't have them. This is definitely a series for animal lovers but anyone would enjoy his writing style-it's filled with humor and a love of life. These are books I like to read again every couple of years. This time it was perfect for reading while tending to an infant as his chapters are basically short stories that I could come in and...more

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Feb 07, 2010 Jerianna rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love this author.

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Apr 05, 2013 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction-other

I don't know how many times I have told people how wonderful the first book in this series is, "All Creatures Great and Small". Many times. They always give me a look like they are humoring me. I get it a little bit. It took me a while to pick these up. I'm not much of an animal lover, I don't dislike animals I'm just a bit ambivalent. However, movies and books about animals... usually bore me to death or are extremely silly (movies with talking animals? No, thank you!) However, I can honestly s...more

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Jan 21, 2011 Krista Danis rated it 5 of 5 stars

James Herriot shares stories from his days as a vet in Yorkshire, England. A fantastic storyteller and authentic friend to all types of animals, he writes stories that express his deep passion for veterinary work and the human/non-human connection. With little irony, the reader is drawn into the sincere, though sometimes fictional, accounts of his profession and the lives which made it so memorable. I often found myself with tears running down my cheeks or reading aloud in a British accent.

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May 30, 2011 Chris Allen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Not as good as some of the earlier gems in the series, but a fitting end. As usual, scattered with anecdotes and amusing tales of Herriot's life as a Yorkshire vet in post-war England, including a new house or two and the arrival and departure of Calum as an assistant (vet wi' t'badger, as the dales farmers would call him)...

Eminently readable, and never tiring, this is the longest of the 8 books. It's worth every penny, and is only weakened to 4 stars by the comparison with the others in the se...more

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Jan 20, 2010 Gwenda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I simply adore the charming stories of James Herriot (that's his pseudonym). The stories are ostensibly about animals(and I am not particularly fond of critters), but they're mostly about human nature and the "rich tapestry" of people he encounters over the years in his veterinary practice. This book has 52 of his best vignettes, each between 5-10 pages in length, and each presents an insight into how people behave. I bet some of these people will remind you of folks you know!

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Jun 27, 2011 Alexis rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: animals, favorites, memoirs

Every Living Thing gives us a glimpse into the modernizing of the veterinary profession from the perspective of someone who has been practicing since the late 1930's. It is an interesting look at history as the author compares the way things were done when he first began to how things are done in the 1950's, which is the time period that he focuses on in this book.

In addition to the historical education that is provided, we gain further insight into Herriot's caring and sensitive nature when car...more

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Feb 01, 2012 Anneliese rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography, animals

This final book in Herriot's series is just as enjoyable as the rest - and we get to hear a little more about his children, and the assistants that join the practice (who are just as engaging as James, Siegfried, and Tristan). I believe Herriot (or Wight, rather) had remarked that he would not write anything else after The Lord God Made Them All but Every Living Thing makes me glad that he changed his mind for one more.

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Jan 16, 2013 Katy rated it 4 of 5 stars

One of the best authors ever!! I have loved James Herriot's books for many years - this one is great, too. A lot of these are from his later years in veterinary practice, which makes me sad at times because he wouldn't be writing anymore.

Some of the stories are sad, as goes along with the circumstances of his work; some are very funny and others funny.

If you love craziness and the unexpected, read James Herriot!

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Jun 15, 2012 Cheryl in CC NV rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well, I've been thinking about Herriot's books for decades, ever since I first read them. Finally had an opportunity to fit one into a group challenge. I'm not sure I ever did read this one before or not, but in any case I did enjoy it just as much as I hoped that I would. Such quick, sweet stories, with a fair bit of educational value, too. Ok, so maybe much of what I learned could only be used to win more games of Trivial Pursuit (t), but it's still interesting stuff.

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Jul 26, 2009 Mrsdarcy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I had to buy a second copy of this book when I rashly lent the first copy to my mum. Should have known she'd never give it up! I wrote to James Herriot to tell him how much I enjoy his books. He wrote back with a charming letter, saying that although he was no longer in the best of health, hearing from people who love animals and the countryside meant so much to him. He died 2 weeks later. : (

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Jun 06, 2011 Becky Galambos rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is one of my all time favorites. If you like animals or even just funny books, this series is for you. I can't help thinking that if the video camera had been invented when he started practice, some of those farmers would have won funniest home videos. A joy to read. I keep two copies as I reread about once a year and don't like taking the good hardcovers out of the house!

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Feb 27, 2011 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars

This one of the most bittersweetest James Herriot I have ever heard! It truly is amazing, if you are an animal lover, you'll adore this book. Let me rephrase that, whoever likes good humor and bittersweet moments in stories that will make your heart soften as Mr. Herriot tells of his patients one by one you should buy this book and if you like this one, you'll adore the whole series.

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Jan 26, 2013 Janelle Heirendt rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was really fun non-fiction - I recommend it! Great character descriptions of people and animals -- makes you laugh. I probably should have started with the first book he wrote, but it's fine to read alone. Each chapter is a bit stand alone as well, so if you are the kind of person to read a book here and there, but not straight through, it's perfect!

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Jul 25, 2011 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

A timeless, feel-good classic - I blew through it in two sittings because I could not tear myself away from triumphs and frustrations of Yorkshire's animal kingdom. I was greatly saddened to note that the last time the book had been checked out of the library was 2008 - I hope Herriot's gems, this one especially, are not being lost to modern readers.

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About James Herriot

James Herriot is the pen name of James Alfred Wight, OBE, FRCVS also known as Alf Wight, an English veterinary surgeon and writer. Wight is best known for his semi-autobiographical stories, often referred to collectively as All Creatures Great and Small, a title used in some editions and in film and television adaptations.

In 1939, at the age of 23, he qualified as a veterinary surgeon with Glasgow...more James Herriot is the pen name of James Alfred Wight, OBE, FRCVS also known as Alf Wight, an English veterinary surgeon and writer. Wight is best known for his semi-autobiographical stories, often referred to collectively as All Creatures Great and Small, a title used in some editions and in film and television adaptations.

In 1939, at the age of 23, he qualified as a veterinary surgeon with Glasgow Veterinary College. In January 1940, he took a brief job at a veterinary practice in Sunderland, but moved in July to work in a rural practice based in the town of Thirsk, Yorkshire, close to the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors, where he was to remain for the rest of his life. The original practice is now a museum, "The World of James Herriot".

Wight intended for years to write a book, but with most of his time consumed by veterinary practice and family, his writing ambition went nowhere. Challenged by his wife, in 1966 (at the age of 50), he began writing. In 1969 Wight wrote If Only They Could Talk, the first of the now-famous series based on his life working as a vet and his training in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Owing in part to professional etiquette which at that time frowned on veterinary surgeons and other professionals from advertising their services, he took a pen name, choosing "James Herriot". If Only They Could Talk was published in the United Kingdom in 1970 by Michael Joseph Ltd, but sales were slow until Thomas McCormack, of St. Martin's Press in New York City, received a copy and arranged to have the first two books published as a single volume in the United States. The resulting book, titled All Creatures Great and Small, was an overnight success, spawning numerous sequels, movies, and a successful television adaptation.

In his books, Wight calls the town where he lives and works Darrowby, which he based largely on the towns of Thirsk and Sowerby. He also renamed Donald Sinclair and his brother Brian Sinclair as Siegfried and Tristan Farnon, respectively. Wight's books are only partially autobiographical. Many of the stories are only loosely based on real events or people, and thus can be considered primarily fiction.

The Herriot books are often described as "animal stories" (Wight himself was known to refer to them as his "little cat-and-dog stories"), and given that they are about the life of a country veterinarian, animals certainly play a significant role in most of the stories. Yet animals play a lesser, sometimes even a negligible role in many of Wight's tales: the overall theme of his stories is Yorkshire country life, with its people and their animals primary elements that provide its distinct character. Further, it is Wight's shrewd observations of persons, animals, and their close inter-relationship, which give his writing much of its savour. Wight was just as interested in their owners as he was in his patients, and his writing is, at root, an amiable but keen comment on the human condition. The Yorkshire animals provide the element of pain and drama; the role of their owners is to feel and express joy, sadness, sometimes triumph. The animal characters also prevent Wight's stories from becoming twee or melodramatic — animals, unlike some humans, do not pretend to be ailing, nor have they imaginary complaints and needless fears. Their ill-health is real, not the result of flaws in their character which they avoid mending. In an age of social uncertainties, when there seem to be no remedies for anything, Wight's stories of resolute grappling with mysterious bacterial foes or severe injuries have an almost heroic quality, giving the reader a sense of assurance, even hope. Best of all, James Herriot has an abundant humour about himself and his difficulties. He never feels superior to any living thing, and is ever eager to learn — about animal doctoring, and about his fellow human creature.

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Every Living Thing (All Creatures Great and Small #5)

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