An Armful of Animals

by Malcolm D. Welshman

Malcolm D. Welshman has had a lifetime filled with exciting encounters with animals. As a lad in Nigeria, he is attacked by soldier ants and terrified by a snake in his treehouse. His treasured companion, Poucher, an African bush dog, prevents him and his mother from being savaged by baboons.
Once qualified as a vet Malcolm has to attempt life-saving surgery on his beloved parrot. On a road trip across the Sahara, there is a tussle with a lame camel and the operation on an Ostrich gored by an antelope.
Settling back in West Sussex in England, he tackles a cow that’s got stuck in a tree, wily cats and battles with cunning badgers and baby bats.
He shares all these fascinating experiences in this gently humorous memoir that will guarantee to tug at the heart strings while bringing a smile to your face. Anyone who loves animals will be enchanted and enthralled.
‘A witty take on a young vet’s life that pet lovers will find endearing.’ – Bel Mooney, Daily Mail.
‘A joyful read full of animals and fun.’ – Celia Haddon, author and former Daily Telegraph columnist.
‘Bursting with exotic creatures and eccentric characters, this touching memoir makes for a spellbinding read where the author’s love of animals shines through.’ – Jenny Itzcovitz, editor of Sixtyplussurfers.co.uk.

Genres: Memoir, Animals, Nonfiction

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 31, 2018

Reviews

[Beth Haslam · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an animal lover, I was looking forward to reading this book and was captivated from page one. An Armful of Animals opens with remarkable tales about the author’s adventuresome childhood in Africa and his relationships with a variety of animals. Some are scary, others downright eccentric and then there is the special bond he develops with his faithful dog, Poucher.

A change in his father’s military posting results in the family’s return to England. Malcolm trains as a vet, and it is his career at a thriving animal hospital which is the focus for the majority of stories.

One of the facets I love most about this book is the breadth of emotions the author conveys in his observations on both humans and animals. His descriptions of beautiful scenes and horrifying situations are vivid and eloquent. Some of his veterinary cases are incredibly moving, while others made me laugh my head off. I also had to giggle at the anecdotes involving his work colleagues.

Malcolm Welshman is one of those skilled authors who can write with style and poignancy. His humour, humility and great love for all creatures shines through, the combination of which makes this a superb book, and especially so for animal lovers.

[Andy Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malcolm is a very good story teller. His tales from his youth when he discovered his love for animals and from his later life when he practiced as a vet kept me amused from start to finish. I will be reading more from Malcolm.

[Valerie Poore]

What a delightful memoir this is. Anyone who loves Gerald Durrell and James Herriott is bound to enjoy Malcolm Welshman’s collection of stories. I won the book in a draw and started reading it straight away. I absolutely loved the first two chapters, but then I am obsessed with anything to do with Africa. As Malcolm spent several years as a child in Nigeria, the very first pages had me riveted as they describe his early life there. From the parrot he acquired from a man in the market to his wonderful faithful dog Poucher, these ‘African’ chapters held me spellbound. However, the rest of the book is also delightful even though it mostly takes place in England and covers the author’s veterinary adventures as well as his own encounters with wildlife and the pets he collects along the way. Written as a series of anecdotes, Malcolm Welshman writes with a great sense of humour, a refreshing honesty and a cheerful conversational style that make the book an easy and engrossing read. Africa is revisited on a few more occasions too, almost as if he knew this is what I would like. For those who know the artist David Shepherd’s work, there is a special treat as well

[Lozzi Counsell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was honestly such a joy for me to read. I am a big animal lover and reading all Malcolm's stories about how animals have played such a big part in his life was very heart-warming.

It is a book with many ups and downs, but the good definitely outweighs the bad. I shed many tears during the reading of this, including tears of happiness and sadness. The animals weren't just 'dogs' 'cats' etc. they were ALL individuals with their own personalities and I loved learning about each and every one of them.

One part that really has stuck with me is his cat waiting for him at the top of the stairs to claw his head! I couldn't stop laughing and shared the story with my sister, who also found it hilarious.

Malcolm's descriptions are all very beautiful and the only thing that would make this book better for me is a photo section with pictures of the animals.

[Brigid Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malcolm Welshman writes with a gentle humour of his lifelong love of animals. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on his boyhood jaunts to watch wildlife, and keeping a Nature diary.
The author shares stories of his beloved dog Poucher, and his early adventures in Nigeria, emergency surgery on his pet parrot Polly, an escaped Anaconda...
Life as a vet holds challenges in human form too, with a varied cast of characters adding to this memoir's charm.

[Lisa Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malcolm Welshman’s vet stories could easily be likened to those of the legendary James Herriot. But An Armful of Animals seems so much more personal – full as it is of animals Malcolm himself has loved. Animals such as Poucher, the heroic rescue dog and poor Nigel, the short-lived newt, encouraged a young Malcolm to train as a vet.
Polly, the well-travelled and talkative African Grey Parrot, rescue bats and rescue starlings, local field mice and Malcolm’s own two rescue dogs are the stars in this delightful memoir but Malcolm also talks about his battle with the ups and downs of life. Standing naked in front of a bonfire is an interesting way to battle depression when it hits and the image certainly cheered me up in this bleak mid-winter.
The writing style is engaging: at times laugh out loud or groan out loud (when a few of Mr Welshman’s puns sneak in), at times tear jerking (poor Nigel) but it always leaves me wanting more.

[Julie Haiselden · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘An Armful of Animals’ is the latest book from retired vet turned best-selling author, Malcolm Welshman. This time he opens his casebook and intertwines tales from his surgery and travels with reminiscences from childhood. We meet his parents, an assortment of colleagues and neighbours along with the marvellous Maxeen, his loving wife who has been at his side throughout many an adventure.

The structure of the book is straightforward with each chapter devoted to a different time and place, usually with a bit of background and some lovely scene-setting to drop the reader into each particular situation.

We first meet Polly the parrot (no marks for originality there, Malcolm) whom is purchased from a street market in Ibadan and watch as a touching relationship develops between boy and bird. It is testimony to the writing skill that we hold our breath as many years later, Polly becomes gravely ill. This necessitates Malcolm, by then a newly qualified vet, operating on his own cherished pet to save her life.

Many of the outcomes are uplifting and positive but not all have a happy ending. The stories are sometimes poignant, occasionally a little sad but always fascinating. The author dips into his past with snapshots of time spent in Nigeria and later Kenya, before returning to England to take up practice in West Sussex, where he managed to fill his home with a succession of waifs and strays.

He also introduces us to an eclectic bunch of pet owners and reminds us of the dangers of doing favours for friends. In addition, he touches on his own difficulties in a frank and honest manner which will give heart to some readers; although I suspect many may prefer an alternative coping mechanism!

The author cleverly uses many literary devices; including colourful descriptions of both places and people, similes and metaphors along with gentle, often self-deprecating humour. These ingredients make the individual stories flow into each other and without doubt, shining through every encounter is the love and dedication Malcolm feels for all species of animal. The pictures painted of the Stockwell twins and their truculent Jersey, along with Miss MacTaggart and her verbally offensive parrot, were priceless.

From malodorous smells in the bedroom to urinating on the lawn, if you like animals and enjoy a heartwarming read, then this book is for you. It would make a wonderful Christmas stocking filler. I congratulate the author on another excellent offering and have no hesitation in awarding a well-deserved five stars.

[Hal Len · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started An Armful of Animals by Malcolm D. Welshman months ago – around New Year 2019. Then I read other books and this one was left with no attention at all. Becoming and Anne of Green Gables took my attention first, and The Testaments and Christmas Shopaholic lately! Why on earth did I get back onto An Armful of Animals then? It was a combination of a sore wrist, memory of a walk with a keen big puppy, painkillers clouding my brain and having to sit for a while. I needed something light and warming. 75 % done too, so why not indeed? I also like to finish my books!

An Armful of Animals is a lovely collection of short stories about animals. And Malcolm D.! Malcolm D. as a boy inNigeria, Malcolm D. as a vet in UK and Malcolm D. as a husband! And there is a great variety of animals. Many different kinds of pets, encounters with wild animals and of course, varied species of clients. And we are not talking here just about the animals. The pet owners are their own kind too!

Reading about animals brings back one’s own memories. My cats mainly and the loss of them too! The joy and the sadness! The comfort and companionship! Nöpö was my sister’s cat, but she was the one we had the longest. Some of my special memories with wild animals includes a flock of cockatoos one early Saturday morning in Hay and an another is hundreds (yes!) of bats leaving for their evening meal in Brisbane and then there is the deadly beauty slithering past my hotel bangalow door in Oman and turning it’s head to look at me before continuing under the bushes. Luckily my child was behind me! The staff caught the snake later by the way. Yes, it was also the staff – house boys who dealt with the snakes in Nigeria, even if the father of the family then had his pictures taken with the ‘catch’.

So how about you? If you are reading this review, you probably like animals. So why not, if you like reading! On the other hand, if you are of colonial background, An Armful of Animals could also be of interest to you too.

[Shirley Read-Jahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I much enjoyed this light-hearted book. It brought smile after smile to my face. Indeed, I often had to read a section of the book aloud to my husband, because it made me laugh so hard. For example, “’What’s this about cat flu?’ Tony had just walked into reception, his trousers flapping round his spindly legs, their waist band so high he could have kept his nipples warm in winter.” Welshman-the-vet is hilariously funny and has such a way with words. Hamish the parrot with its Scottish accent: “Speak for yourself”, said Hamish, with a swift bob of his head. And Hamish again, once back in his cage, when Miss MacTaggart told him to say “Thank you,” he glared at me. “Not on your Nellie,” was his response. The author writes so evocatively, I felt I was actually there. “The beech and birches through which I drove were coated in soft mantles of green. The steep banks of the track swathed with yellow celandines and clumps of primroses. I found myself plunging through shaded tunnels peppered with sunlight. Intoxicating. Then to emerge, blinking, from the last tunnel, into the sun-dappled glade carpeted in yellow daffodils that surrounded Badgers Holt. Sheer magic.” I could see it all! He also obviously loves using onomatopoeia, “there was no bleating about the bush for that little lamb”, and twisting meanings into funny descriptions, “The magic of Badger Holt had since permeated their paws” and “…I wanted to start dancing in the gutter like Gene Kelly. Besides which, what would I sing? Singeing in the rain?” Then, he holds nothing back in his description of the clients coming to see him at his veterinary clinic, “Instead, I was subjected to the sight of the dumpy twins, waddling like a pair of beanie-headed bantams.” He certainly calls a spade a spade! I did wonder whether the clients he has were real people in this memoir and, if so, how they’d react to his so funny, spot-on, descriptions! Well done, Mr Welshman, you made my day!

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful memoir written by a retired vet who first recalls his encounter with Nigel the Newt as a young boy. He goes on to tell us about his lifelong affinity with animals, stretched across several continents, and from both a personal and professional perspective.
There is Polly the African Grey parrot, acquired in Nigeria where Malcolm’s father was based in the army. She was bought to England and loved to torment the poor little Maltese dog called Yambo by imitating the doorbell. She had a vast vocabulary and incredible ability to imitate members of the family.
So, imagine how you would feel, as a newly trained vet, when you need to do emergency surgery on your lifelong pet parrot?
Did Polly survive? …You’ll have to read the book to find out!
Then there is Poucher the African bush dog whose heroics saved lives, Houdini hamsters, a large roost of rare bats and a dog who disliked having his claws trimmed (a bit like my Darcy!) We are also treated to humorous anecdotes regarding animals of the more exotic kind, a lame camel and a herd of elephants are just a few.
I could happily go on and on about this amazing book. However, I don’t want to spoil the endearing, funny, brave and heartwrenching encounters. The chapters are short and the stories bite-sized. This makes it ideal to read to a child who loves animals (especially if they have aspirations to become a vet!)
I read the book in one sitting, I found the true-life stories fascinating. An Armful of Animals took me back to my childhood, being a massive fan of James Herriot.
Malcolm D.Welshman obviously does love all creatures great and small and has the expertise to help them too. There are parts where tissues will be needed and other honest tales of some of the more frustrating elements of being a vet.
This is a five-star read and I can’t recommend it highly enough!

[Linda Hawkswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming book
This book about the daily life of a vet and it really made me laugh but at the same time very informative, I loved it. It reminded me a lot of All Creatures Great and Small but in modern times.
Malcolm has always been fascinated with animals of all shapes and sizes and his early experiences in Africa as a child gave him the inspiration to become a vet. When his own Poucher the dog was seriously injured he helped nurse it back to health and that was the day he knew for certain being a vet was his destination.
In his first year of qualification they discovered a lump on his pet African Grey Polly, the vet had said there was nothing they could do. Not to be beaten Malcolm uses his Mother's Formica topped kitchen table as his operating table and sets about removing the tumor that is preventing the bird from eating and is threatening to choke it. They have been life long friends and he is not going to fail Poly now.
No matter the size of the animal it is someone's beloved pet and Malcolm does his utmost to ensure they live a long and healthy life as possible. When a stray Schipperke dog is knocked down by a car and no owner in sight Malcolm decides to keep her naming her Winnie and she soon settles in at Willow Wren.
When a patient is admitted with a skin complaint and all test fail to come to a conclusive diagnosis the owners decide she must be out to sleep asnd sign the consent form. Malcolm is devastated by their decision and then a colleague at the surgery steps in. Carol persuades Malcolm to keep her, take her home and give a loving home. Much to the chagrin of Winnie Judy the Springer joins the Welshman household.
Malcolm having his own pets shows his compassion for all gods creatures and this comes out across the pages of this beautifully written book. I loved it from start to finish, thank you Malcolm

[Robin Moody · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Laughed, I Cried

Malcolm's love and respect for animals is evident on each page of this book. His writing flows from one scene to the next in a way that makes it seem effortless. Descriptions come alive. I'm there on adventures, there as he assists in his first operation, which happens to be on his own pet Poucher, a bush dog. I have a squeamish stomach and most times skin over these scenes, but I was right there with him and he operated on his beloved African grey parrot, Polly.

Some pet owners tried his patience and I can picture them as I read his words. One lady who insisted on home visits and tended to be very opinionated, diagnosing in a know-it-all manner makes me chuckle as I write. "Her torpedo eyes and scouring-pad grey hair." She had to take her cat in to see him a few days later, her diagnosis was incorrect. Poor kitty was on the mend after he found the real problem.

I believe Malcolm's patients received excellent care and compassion. Perhaps they did know how fortunate they were, as animals can sense these things. They know when someone is trying to help them. (Maybe not the camel?) But even with the spitting camel, he was worried about his patient and relieved to see him limping along at the end of the camel train the next day. His last patient in the book and the words he chose to end it convince me they knew they were special to this vet who eased their pain.

I recommend this book to all who enjoy a great read. You won't go wrong when you choose An Armful of Animals.

[Malcolm Martland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malcolm Welshman – An Armful of Animals

Most vets acquire a vast collection of memories from their patients and owners, humorous, sad or just everyday, but sadly these never usually appear in print. Malcolm Welshman has more than made up for that with An Armful of Animals, his 4th novel.

Malcolm draws on his memories of growing up and holidaying in Africa and includes stories of his own pets as well as from veterinary Practice. From a hamster with a magnetic personality to elephants, handfuls of snakes, a lame camel, cheeky talking parrots, lions, monkeys and more, all contributing to the joyful melee.

There are gardening tips too: a novel method of stopping badgers from digging up the lawn and what to do with starling chicks when they fall out of their nests!

However, it’s not just about the animals! The author’s wry observations of humanity range from the awkward know-it-all client (infuriatingly usually correct) to the charmingly-eccentric chatty twin sisters and the mishaps of their farm animals.

If you find the antics of a vet’s life interesting and amusing, especially with some of the more exotic species he encounters, this is essential reading! I’m still laughing at the timely inappropriateness of the talking parrot’s remarks!

[Ronald Mackay · Rating 5 out of 5]

When, many years ago, I first read James Herriot, I was well and truly hooked by a capable vet’s experiences with small and large animals – and with a wide array of local characters – in a familiar and homely Yorkshire. Now, with An Armful of Animals, Malcolm D. Welshman has revived my enthusiasm with a fascinating collection of tales told equally well by a more widely-travelled veterinarian with experience of an even broader array of birds, animals, reptiles and their eccentric owners.
The author is as at home in the middle of the Sahara Desert as he is in Bournemouth and as comfortable – well almost! – with a poodle as with a python, with a cat as with a camel, with the familiar starling as with a tarantula with a fungal infection.
Welshman’s An Armful of Animals reads as if James Herriot had gone international and added a frolicsome and quirky sense of humour in the process.
I devoured An Armful of Animals in one sitting and still have that warm sense of being thoroughly beguiled and delighted by an expert story-teller and devoted animal-lover.

[Julie Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Malcolm, a retired vet writes this humorous and entertaining memoir about the animals he has loved, operated on and cared for. All who give him a love for animals and in time a career as a vet. The animals and stories are drawn from his childhood in Africa through to when he is married to Maxine and working as a vet. Keeping the reader's interest Malcolm writes of the many exotic animals he encounters including Polly the African grey parrot, a camel and a gored ostrich while holidaying in Africa and a war with a family of badgers who keep digging up his beautifully manicured lawn. The menagerie of animals he has lived with and been his family, have been his patients or come across through his life will delight and enthral any animal lovers who love a great read.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me from page one!
In this witty and heartwarming first memoir for retired Vet, Malcolm Welshman, we are treated with humours tales from animals to insects. From his childhood parrot to his devoted dog, Poucher, all the animals he encounters in Nigeria and back in the South of England lead him to becoming a veterinarian.
While combining many stories of his veterinarian years in the clinic and the house calls he made, traversing around the downs in all types of weather to many a patient that could not reach the clinic, you get to know some of the zany locals and their pets.
A easy, flowing read, you will laugh and maybe have a tear or two.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart-warming collection of stories by a retired British veterinarian. Dr. Welshman spent part of childhood growing up in Nigeria, so there are stories about animals and pets there, as well as his vet practice. If you are sensitive to animals like I am (I can't watch Bambi, Old Yeller, etc.), some of the stories have difficult parts - but I got through. There are funny stories, stories about the relationships between people and their animals, and some about difficult animals. Some did bring a tear to my eye. He was a wonderful, caring (if exasperated by some of his charges) vet.

[Ruth Dresher-Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr Welshman's memoir of his childhood love of animals, revisited throughout the book, and his experiences and adventures as a vet was very engrossing, frequently hilarious. How fortunate he was raised by parents so amenable to his passion allowing him Polly, Poacher and blessed Nigel. The experiences he gained in Nigeria were vital to him becoming the Doctor he became. His inadvertently becoming the "go to" bird and snake man clearly led to some of the funnier episodes. The cast of characters that filter through the veterinarian hospital and in the field are well drawn and colored so you can see them, hear them. Well written and engaging.

[Alyson Sheldrake · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most enjoyable read
From the first chapter with Polly the parrot, Malcolm had me hooked. This was a charming and enthralling book, full of beautifully-described characters, both human and animal. The animals were the real stars of this book, from Poucher the loyal dog, to the cow that was stuck in a tree, the talking parrot and the magnetic hamster, each tale was told with affection. This book stands out, not only because of the wonderful stories, but because of the skilful way it is written. Highly recommended, this is a wonderful book to while away an afternoon with.

[Helen Hollick · Rating 4 out of 5]

For animal lovers who enjoy light-hearted but heart-warming stories of what animals - and the vet who looks after them - get up to. Malcolm Welshman writes in an easy, comfortable style that will have you alternatively laughing, shedding a tear or holding you spellbound wondering how the next hilarious or lip-biting, heart-wrenching situation will be resolved.
An ideal suggestion for a stocking filler for Christmas or a birthday gift.

[Patti St · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read for pet lovers

I do enjoy a good memoir from veterinarians. This one did not disappoint. Each chapter was devoted to a particular event in Mr Welchman's life as either a pet owner of as a pet doctor. I fell in love with several of the pets including Polly the Parrot.

[Robert Fear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful animal stories

I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful collection of twenty animal stories, written by ex-vet Malcolm Welshman. They are all superbly written and contain fascinating descriptions of experiences with various animals, from his times as a young boy through to those as a vet in practice. Highly recommended for all animal lovers.

[Judy Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like animal stories then this is a must-read. Malcolm, in the style of James Herriot, writes with unfiltered honesty and humor. You’ll experience the ups and downs of being a vet and he’ll have you chuckling and at times experiencing heartbreak. This author leaves nothing out in a memoir that you will want to read over and over again. Enjoyable, realistic, satisfying.

[Nick Albert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful and moving.

As a lover of animals and nature, I found An Armful of Animals to be a delight to read. Malcolm Welshman writes with passion and humour, bringing to life a selection of tales, some funny and sometimes sad. He is a talented writer. I hope to read more.

[Pat Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this memoir by Malcolm Welshman. Lovely ‘tales’ about various pets and patients - from boyhood to ‘vet-hood’ - a gentle read with lough out loud moments. I have no problem recommending this book and I will certainly read more by this author.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

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This is an absolutely delightful memoir and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I loved reading the different stories, the author's descriptive nature and writing style made the book additive for me and I know quite a few people that will love this and I have recommended it to them already.

The author's ability to tell the tales really made this a stand out book for me - five stars from me, very enjoyable and I loved every page!

[Ann Patras · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book!
If you - love animals; love Africa; have a sense of humour; any or all of the above, then you’ll love this book.
The tales and tails running through Malcolm Welshman’s life will have you shedding tears of laughter and sorrow. A most enjoyable read, highly recommended.

[MRS D J NOBLE · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book fun of animals

Reading about the animals this vet has encountered during his childhood and working life makes this an enjoyable read. Some sad bits too but humour does make life interesting

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely easy holiday laugh out loud read . Good insight into the life of a vet seen from both sides.
Throughly loved this light hearted book.

[Marie Shirley Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Dr. Welshman has had a fascinating life, which led him to be a vet.

It's a smart read. Interesting on so many levels.