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All Creatures Great and Small #5-6
All Things Wise and Wonderful
The third volume in the multimillion copy bestselling series
Readers adored James Herriot's tales of his life as a Yorkshire animal doctor in All Creatures Great and Small and All Things Bright and Beautiful. Now here's a third delightful volume of memoirs rich with Herriot's own brand of humor, insight, and wisdom.
In the midst of World War II, James is training for the Royal Air Force, while going home to Yorkshire whenever possible to see his very pregnant wife, Helen. Musing on past adventures through the dales, visiting with old friends, and introducing scores of new and amusing character--animal and human alike--Herriot enthralls with his uncanny ability to spin a most engaging and heartfelt yarn.
Millions of readers have delighted in the wonderful storytelling and everyday miracles of James Herriot in the over thirty years since his delightful animal stories were first introduced to the world.
Readers adored James Herriot's tales of his life as a Yorkshire animal doctor in All Creatures Great and Small and All Things Bright and Beautiful. Now here's a third delightful volume of memoirs rich with Herriot's own brand of humor, insight, and wisdom.
In the midst of World War II, James is training for the Royal Air Force, while going home to Yorkshire whenever possible to see his very pregnant wife, Helen. Musing on past adventures through the dales, visiting with old friends, and introducing scores of new and amusing character--animal and human alike--Herriot enthralls with his uncanny ability to spin a most engaging and heartfelt yarn.
Millions of readers have delighted in the wonderful storytelling and everyday miracles of James Herriot in the over thirty years since his delightful animal stories were first introduced to the world.
448 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
2597 people are currently reading
10426 people want to read
About the author
James Herriot
262 books3,306 followersJames 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.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/jamesh...
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.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/jamesh...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,221 reviews
September 3, 2023
🐕 Another magnificent collection of animal rescue stories framed by Herriot’s enlistment in the RAF and his exit from same as a pilot.
🐩 In general, Herriot sticks to the positive stories and only brings in an animal loss story when it is particularly poignant and telling.
🐈 The series runs: All Creatures Great and Small; All Things Bright and Beautiful; All Things Wise and Wonderful; The Lord God Made Them All. The titles are taken from a traditional hymn.
🐈⬛ Highly recommended especially in the audiobook versions read by the actor Nicholas Ralph who plays Herriot in the TV series. He emulates dozens of Yorkshire voices and dialects in an utterly authentic and enjoyable way - enjoyable unless the people are cranky, that is.
🐴 The Masterpiece series remains enormously popular. The casting for the 4th season was announced June 27th.
🐩 In general, Herriot sticks to the positive stories and only brings in an animal loss story when it is particularly poignant and telling.
🐈 The series runs: All Creatures Great and Small; All Things Bright and Beautiful; All Things Wise and Wonderful; The Lord God Made Them All. The titles are taken from a traditional hymn.
🐈⬛ Highly recommended especially in the audiobook versions read by the actor Nicholas Ralph who plays Herriot in the TV series. He emulates dozens of Yorkshire voices and dialects in an utterly authentic and enjoyable way - enjoyable unless the people are cranky, that is.
🐴 The Masterpiece series remains enormously popular. The casting for the 4th season was announced June 27th.
March 1, 2025
Shit gets real this time around, all too real. Literally, the word shit is used quite often in this installment of James Herriot's warm-fuzzy tales of life as a Yorkshire vet. The more adult tone of this book compared to the previous two is a bit jarring, but there's still plenty of the old goodness herein to make fans happy.
I was not thrilled with the start of All Things Wise and Wonderful, because from the get-go we learn that James Herriot is going to be writing about his wartime experiences. Frankly, I wanted more of the same: relatively low-tension drama about life as a country vet in 1930s northern England as dished out in the first two books of this series.
Vet/writer Alf Wight, aka James Herriot
However, instead of going fully into war stories, which would've been fine I suppose, what we get are remembrances of past vet calls mixed in with brief recalls of tales of training for the Royal Air Force. The vet stories are told as flashbacks, which takes some of the steam out of them, while the RAF stories never really get off the ground. (Pun fully intended.) Having said that, the service of the men and women who fought in WWII should always be revered for the sacrifices they made.
Don't let my complainy-pants squawking deter you from diving headlong into All Things Wise and Wonderful. You'll find plenty of enjoyment in the tales Herriot doles out for this volume. The overall tone is more somber in this book compared with the first two. I guess that can't be helped, what with WWII looming about, however, it feels as if there are quite a few more tales that end tragically in book three than in the previous two. Even so, I really enjoyed this romp through the Dales!
I was not thrilled with the start of All Things Wise and Wonderful, because from the get-go we learn that James Herriot is going to be writing about his wartime experiences. Frankly, I wanted more of the same: relatively low-tension drama about life as a country vet in 1930s northern England as dished out in the first two books of this series.
Vet/writer Alf Wight, aka James Herriot
However, instead of going fully into war stories, which would've been fine I suppose, what we get are remembrances of past vet calls mixed in with brief recalls of tales of training for the Royal Air Force. The vet stories are told as flashbacks, which takes some of the steam out of them, while the RAF stories never really get off the ground. (Pun fully intended.) Having said that, the service of the men and women who fought in WWII should always be revered for the sacrifices they made.
Don't let my complainy-pants squawking deter you from diving headlong into All Things Wise and Wonderful. You'll find plenty of enjoyment in the tales Herriot doles out for this volume. The overall tone is more somber in this book compared with the first two. I guess that can't be helped, what with WWII looming about, however, it feels as if there are quite a few more tales that end tragically in book three than in the previous two. Even so, I really enjoyed this romp through the Dales!
May 10, 2013
I recently read an online article about James Herriot (aka Alf Wight) in which I learned of his lifelong battle with severe depression. With no real knowledge of Herriot outside of his professional accomplishments, I read his first book casually; cute stories about a budding British veterinarian and his furry, lovable patients in 1930’s farmland. What could be more pleasant and lighthearted, right?
Well, as is true for many things in life, Herriot’s stories actually run deeper than the superficiality of a cute cover and the sunny image of a loving, passionate veterinarian portrayed in his books. It seems that these animals were not only his professional passion, but a major source of solace for a frequently troubled soul.
As a social worker by profession, and an individual who struggles with depression myself, I can attest to the healing power of our four-legged companions. It’s never been any surprise to me that the deepest, most tender souls are often the most devout animal-lovers.
With that in mind, I read All Things Wise & Wonderful from a different perspective and discovered an entirely new understanding of this incredible man who found peace in helping, befriending, and respecting the under-appreciated animals of the world. The very animals that likely added immense purpose and color to his otherwise troublesome and difficult world. Still cute and heartwarming, but also deeply profound.
Well, as is true for many things in life, Herriot’s stories actually run deeper than the superficiality of a cute cover and the sunny image of a loving, passionate veterinarian portrayed in his books. It seems that these animals were not only his professional passion, but a major source of solace for a frequently troubled soul.
As a social worker by profession, and an individual who struggles with depression myself, I can attest to the healing power of our four-legged companions. It’s never been any surprise to me that the deepest, most tender souls are often the most devout animal-lovers.
With that in mind, I read All Things Wise & Wonderful from a different perspective and discovered an entirely new understanding of this incredible man who found peace in helping, befriending, and respecting the under-appreciated animals of the world. The very animals that likely added immense purpose and color to his otherwise troublesome and difficult world. Still cute and heartwarming, but also deeply profound.
January 4, 2021
So while I was reading (or should I say rereading) All Things Wise and Wonderful (James Herriot's third veterinarian memoir omnibus, containing Vets Might Fly and Vet in a Spin), I realised that although it presents the author's wartime experiences training to become a pilot in the RAF (Royal Air Force), the frame narrrative of the author's RAF sessions and experiences, interspersed with and by remembrances of animals both great and small, of cases seen and treated both successfully and unsuccessfully, with both joyful and sometimes sadly tragic outcomes, really does not focus much on the actual horrors of WWII, on Nazi atrocities, on the bombing of England, but generally and primarily on the specific training sessions, on the author's personal experiences trying to learn how to become a pilot (and how, after his training is complete, an old medical issue arrises and proverbially clips James Herriot's wings).
Now personally, that WWII is always present but not really over-used or even featured that much as a flesh and blood scenario at all (and obviously seen and approached as secondary compared to the description and depiction of James Herriot's personal pilot training stories and of course the animal cases featured, the cows, dogs, cats etc. encountered and given treatment) has been very much appreciated and enjoyed, but I guess I can also understand that some readers might well not consider All Things Wise and Wonderful as serious enough with regard to the representation of WWII, that they might be frustrated and annoyed that there really is never any actual criticism or even condemnation of Nazi Germany (although I for one consider this rather a positive, as the main focus and themes of All Things Wise and Wonderful are James Herriot's experiences as a pilot in training and as a veternarian, and it would feel rather strange and uncomfortable, not to mention a wee bit off topic if there had been musings on WWII or on Naziism, the Holocaust and the like).
With regard to the veterinarian episodes presented in All Things Wise and Wonderful, while I have personally found them as wonderful, as entertaining and as evocative as the first two James Herriot omnibuses (and consider the author's memoirs comfort reading pure), I do leave a bit of a potential caveat that there indeed are some rather heavy-duty and sad scenarios portrayed (such as the suicide of a dog owner who cannot handle that his faithful canine companion has had to be euthanised). Therefore, if All Things Wise and Wonderful is read by children (and older children above the age of ten or eleven do indeed often read James Herriot) this and a few other similarly problematic storylines might well need to be discussed, as there could be a few uncomfortable questions that arise. And furthermore, finally, I also am aware of the fact that certain readers have in the past somewhat chafed at James Herriot's humourous and in no way all that ashamed or contrite depictions of going repeatedly AWOL from his RAF training to visit his pregnant wife (something that I for one both much understand and even accept if not rather condone, but I do know and appreciate that this could rub some individuals very much the wrong way).
Now personally, that WWII is always present but not really over-used or even featured that much as a flesh and blood scenario at all (and obviously seen and approached as secondary compared to the description and depiction of James Herriot's personal pilot training stories and of course the animal cases featured, the cows, dogs, cats etc. encountered and given treatment) has been very much appreciated and enjoyed, but I guess I can also understand that some readers might well not consider All Things Wise and Wonderful as serious enough with regard to the representation of WWII, that they might be frustrated and annoyed that there really is never any actual criticism or even condemnation of Nazi Germany (although I for one consider this rather a positive, as the main focus and themes of All Things Wise and Wonderful are James Herriot's experiences as a pilot in training and as a veternarian, and it would feel rather strange and uncomfortable, not to mention a wee bit off topic if there had been musings on WWII or on Naziism, the Holocaust and the like).
With regard to the veterinarian episodes presented in All Things Wise and Wonderful, while I have personally found them as wonderful, as entertaining and as evocative as the first two James Herriot omnibuses (and consider the author's memoirs comfort reading pure), I do leave a bit of a potential caveat that there indeed are some rather heavy-duty and sad scenarios portrayed (such as the suicide of a dog owner who cannot handle that his faithful canine companion has had to be euthanised). Therefore, if All Things Wise and Wonderful is read by children (and older children above the age of ten or eleven do indeed often read James Herriot) this and a few other similarly problematic storylines might well need to be discussed, as there could be a few uncomfortable questions that arise. And furthermore, finally, I also am aware of the fact that certain readers have in the past somewhat chafed at James Herriot's humourous and in no way all that ashamed or contrite depictions of going repeatedly AWOL from his RAF training to visit his pregnant wife (something that I for one both much understand and even accept if not rather condone, but I do know and appreciate that this could rub some individuals very much the wrong way).
September 3, 2023
I loved this third book in James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small series. I was definitely close to shedding a tear at a few stories, and I laughed out loud at many more! (especially Ch. 6 when Triss keeps fixing sausage and mash for dinner!) I really love these stories. They are heart warming and sincere, and I can't wait to continue the series.
November 13, 2016
I will forever have a soft spot in my heart for all things Herriot. I read the children’s books to my children over and over again and we have visited the town of Thirsk in Yorkshire and the James Herriot Museum, which we loved.
This book however, has been my least favorite so far. Don’t get me wrong. I still liked it very much, just not nearly as much as the others that I’ve read. I didn’t particularly care for the start of each chapter with the RAF/WWII anecdotes. If it had been just war stories, I would have been fine with it. But then it would go off in a clumsy sort of way to his pre-war vet days and that was a bit distracting.
This book however, has been my least favorite so far. Don’t get me wrong. I still liked it very much, just not nearly as much as the others that I’ve read. I didn’t particularly care for the start of each chapter with the RAF/WWII anecdotes. If it had been just war stories, I would have been fine with it. But then it would go off in a clumsy sort of way to his pre-war vet days and that was a bit distracting.
November 15, 2010
"James Herriot" (James Alfred Wight) continues his story as war encompasses his world and the things he loves become distant. I love the Herriot books and have worn out several copies of them. I recommend that you try... to start at the first, the beginning of the story and follow it through. The only draw back is it can put a longing in your heart that may never quite be fully met.
May 4, 2011
In the course of my successive re-reads of James Herriot's books as a child, I would routinely skip this one, which I thought of as "the sad one." It is sad. In it, Herriot covers the years during World War II, including his service in the Royal Air Force. It is no heroic, chest-thumping saga. He talks about homesickness, about missing his wife and worrying about the birth of their first child, and about being lonely and scared. It's not as happy or bubbly as some of his other books, but, now that I've reread it as a card-carrying adult, I now realize it may be the most touching of all the books.
Herriot doesn't worry too much about strict chronology, and he doesn't try to hide the fact that most of the time his RAF life serves only as a backdrop to his memoirs, stitched in with hasty segues. Some of the anecdotes told in this book are the most affecting of all of his stories. There are many tearjerkers: some for very sad stories, but many for heartbreakingly joyous ones, told amongst desperate situations. In this book lurk Blossom, the cow who came home; Oscar the cat-about-town; Debbie the Christmas cat; and Jingo and Skipper, best friends. It's a wonderful, stirring book, and shouldn't be missed. Even if it is "sad."
Herriot doesn't worry too much about strict chronology, and he doesn't try to hide the fact that most of the time his RAF life serves only as a backdrop to his memoirs, stitched in with hasty segues. Some of the anecdotes told in this book are the most affecting of all of his stories. There are many tearjerkers: some for very sad stories, but many for heartbreakingly joyous ones, told amongst desperate situations. In this book lurk Blossom, the cow who came home; Oscar the cat-about-town; Debbie the Christmas cat; and Jingo and Skipper, best friends. It's a wonderful, stirring book, and shouldn't be missed. Even if it is "sad."
Read
December 9, 2022I absolutely loved listening to All Creatures Great and Small, and I could not wait to return to the series with All Things Wise and Wonderful. This is such a heartwarming, hilarious and heartfelt collection of interconnected autobiographical short stories. Even if this is not of your typical reading taste, I urge you to try it out :).
This tells of the few months between James Herriot marrying and then being called up to serve for World War Two. More hilarious stories about crazy and cute animals with strange personalities, as well as the quirky people James Herriot met through work, as well as those who he lived with. Such a great book.
This tells of the few months between James Herriot marrying and then being called up to serve for World War Two. More hilarious stories about crazy and cute animals with strange personalities, as well as the quirky people James Herriot met through work, as well as those who he lived with. Such a great book.
August 23, 2018
An excellent continuance of Herriot's life as a Yorkshire vet. His stories are warm and wonderful and some are very sad. If the story of the town mischief maker and his dog didn't put a lump in your throat you have to be made of stone. I would have given this 4.5 stars if I could. Highly recommended.
October 29, 2019
While this book is filled with more great tales of Herriot's life as a veterinarian, he starts each chapter with a paragraph or two about his time in the Royal Air Force. Just enough to explain what he is doing at the time and how the activity triggers memories of the work in his animal practice.
I have to be honest, for awhile I was thinking of giving this just three stars. Which would have meant I liked it, but not as much as his other books. But then I realized I was comparing it to All Creatures Great And Small, which I could start all over again every time I get to the final page. I wasn't feeling that complete absorption in this book or that same connection to the human and animal characters. I know that it is unfair to read any author's works that way, but I couldn't help myself. There was simply something so magical about ACGAS, and I wasn't seeing the same thing in this book, which felt more like a collection of bittersweet essays rather than a connected story.
Then I remembered what I had noticed while reading All Things Bright And Beautiful. In that book Herriot dug deeper into his stories to show more than what might appear on the surface. And I realized that he did the same thing in this book. There were deeply moving stories that dealt with depression and how pets can ease a person's mental anguish. Another told of a wandering man who spent his life on the road with only his dog for companionship. Herriot was very interested in this man, wondering why he lived the way he did and even (it seemed to me) was a little envious of him. When the man leaves the area again we are left with a few hints of the mystery of his life, but we know nothing for sure.
In his real life Alf Wight suffered from depression and a recurring health issue that I think must have been horrendous to deal with. In this book, he goe through yet another operation to try to solve this issue. But since he never gives details about the condition, when I read the biography that his son wrote about his life, I was surprised to see what he had dealt with for so long. Anyway, the condition was responsible for Wight/Herriot leaving the Air Force much earlier than he expected, and we end the book back where we belong, getting off the bus in Darrowby, ready to start normal life again.
I had two favorite pieces here: the chapters concerning Ned Finch and his expectations. What were they and would they ever be fulfilled? And I just loved the tale of Oscar the cat whose real name turned out to be Tiger. What a special kitty he was!
I'm glad I read this again, especially now that I know more about the author's real life and can see some of the more private thoughts reflected in the pages here. And now I am on to the next book, number four of five.
I have to be honest, for awhile I was thinking of giving this just three stars. Which would have meant I liked it, but not as much as his other books. But then I realized I was comparing it to All Creatures Great And Small, which I could start all over again every time I get to the final page. I wasn't feeling that complete absorption in this book or that same connection to the human and animal characters. I know that it is unfair to read any author's works that way, but I couldn't help myself. There was simply something so magical about ACGAS, and I wasn't seeing the same thing in this book, which felt more like a collection of bittersweet essays rather than a connected story.
Then I remembered what I had noticed while reading All Things Bright And Beautiful. In that book Herriot dug deeper into his stories to show more than what might appear on the surface. And I realized that he did the same thing in this book. There were deeply moving stories that dealt with depression and how pets can ease a person's mental anguish. Another told of a wandering man who spent his life on the road with only his dog for companionship. Herriot was very interested in this man, wondering why he lived the way he did and even (it seemed to me) was a little envious of him. When the man leaves the area again we are left with a few hints of the mystery of his life, but we know nothing for sure.
In his real life Alf Wight suffered from depression and a recurring health issue that I think must have been horrendous to deal with. In this book, he goe through yet another operation to try to solve this issue. But since he never gives details about the condition, when I read the biography that his son wrote about his life, I was surprised to see what he had dealt with for so long. Anyway, the condition was responsible for Wight/Herriot leaving the Air Force much earlier than he expected, and we end the book back where we belong, getting off the bus in Darrowby, ready to start normal life again.
I had two favorite pieces here: the chapters concerning Ned Finch and his expectations. What were they and would they ever be fulfilled? And I just loved the tale of Oscar the cat whose real name turned out to be Tiger. What a special kitty he was!
I'm glad I read this again, especially now that I know more about the author's real life and can see some of the more private thoughts reflected in the pages here. And now I am on to the next book, number four of five.
September 16, 2023
What can I say? If I said it once, then I’ll say it again: James Herriot’s book are THE BEST!! They never disappoint. And this one can be added to the list. 😁👌
World War 2 has begun and the vets of Skeldale House are joining the war effort. Jim enlists in the R. A. F. and shares of his triumphs and failures as a contributing citizen to the war effort and in his reminiscing of his work as a vet in Darrowby before the war hit. James Herriot’s stories are funny, heartwarming, and heartbreaking as he introduces both familiar and old faces and their animals in need. Tristan still has tricks up his sleeve, Siegfried is still the charming and talented man that he is, and Jim and Helen are the best. 😁
This book was just so good. I keep saying that about every book by Herriot, but it’s true. What a talented storyteller! I can’t wait for the next book! 😆 I already know I’m gonna love it! ☺️
Happy Reading! 😁
World War 2 has begun and the vets of Skeldale House are joining the war effort. Jim enlists in the R. A. F. and shares of his triumphs and failures as a contributing citizen to the war effort and in his reminiscing of his work as a vet in Darrowby before the war hit. James Herriot’s stories are funny, heartwarming, and heartbreaking as he introduces both familiar and old faces and their animals in need. Tristan still has tricks up his sleeve, Siegfried is still the charming and talented man that he is, and Jim and Helen are the best. 😁
This book was just so good. I keep saying that about every book by Herriot, but it’s true. What a talented storyteller! I can’t wait for the next book! 😆 I already know I’m gonna love it! ☺️
Happy Reading! 😁
March 12, 2021
James Herriot shares stories of his time in the RAF during WWII. He often uses these as springboards to times he spent as a vet.
If you are a wanna-be writer, you will do well to read these stories and listen to a master storyteller at work.
If you are a wanna-be writer, you will do well to read these stories and listen to a master storyteller at work.
September 8, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I finally finished reading the whole series of “All Creatures Great and Small”.
It was very heartwarming and extremely interesting in regard to what James Herriot encountered with the all the animals he cared for.
I finally finished reading the whole series of “All Creatures Great and Small”.
It was very heartwarming and extremely interesting in regard to what James Herriot encountered with the all the animals he cared for.
December 3, 2009
I just adore these books. I can't help it. Herriot may not be the most polished author but his books have a sense of warmth around them and I feel like I know Helen, Tristan, Siegfried and James. I love that they are real people and wish I could go and visit them, they just seem so lovely. Tristan's antics in this book are hysterical and James' reaction to becoming a new father priceless. I love it. Love. I'm going to wait to read the fourth for a little because I'm sad it's the last one...
March 22, 2024
I think James Herriot might be one of my favorite authors. There is just nothing I’ve found that’s as worth reading, while being an easy and funny read, while also being deep and sometimes sad, but never depressing, and not difficult to get into. The characters are I think what makes it for me - the three vets, Helen his wife, and all the local Yorkshire farmers. I’m not really an “animal person” but it really doesn’t matter for these books - they’re so, so worth reading. I like to read one in the winter when they days are grey and slow and I need something to get me out of February in Moscow.
April 1, 2023
All Things Wise and Wonderful doesn't flow quite as well as the previous books, because Herriot relates his anticlimactic experience in the RAF during the war. Chapters begin with a paragraph or two (sometimes only a sentence or two) about military life and move on to vet stories almost by random word association. It's fine--but it is a bit jolting.
I read this in bits and pieces over the past few years, at the dentist's, during middle-of-the-night thunderstorms, when I was feeling a little blue. Good old Herriot is always good for a laugh or a meaningful story when I need it.
I read this in bits and pieces over the past few years, at the dentist's, during middle-of-the-night thunderstorms, when I was feeling a little blue. Good old Herriot is always good for a laugh or a meaningful story when I need it.
June 20, 2015
I was turned off by the sentimentality but so many good stories about animals and the people that love them, so if that's your thing, that's your thing and you'll probably love this.
June 9, 2024
2020 reading: these books are filled with timeless warm, goodness, and lovely stories. What a remarkable man Herriot was. I’m forever grateful for his books.
December 6, 2022
This volume of stories finds James Herriot training for the RAF during WWII. While he's being pushed past his endurance limit, his mind and heart are back in Darrowby. He's dreaming of his beloved Helen, now pregnant with their first child and thinking of the salt of the earth farmers scratching out an existance with smallish herds of cattle. James also thinks of the pets whose lives were lost and whose lives he saved; the owners of said pets and how their pets' health affected their own. The tough flight instructor reminds him of Seigfreid and his mates have become close friends like Tristan.
These stories are not as charming as most of the ones in the previous volumes. Perhaps they are tinged with sadness because of war or because the author was homesick at that time he was thinking of these particular cases. Chapter 9 is the story of The Christmas Day Kitten, also published as a picture book for children. That one is heartwarming and charming. Some of the other domestic animals don't fare as well as the kitten. The story of the poisoned dogs made me so upset and heartbroken. Almost all the dog stories are sad. The happier ones are published elsewhere too. There aren't any amusing anecdotes about Tricki Woo but there is a cute story about a Scottish Terrier and Tristan. Tristan sure livened things up a bunch when he was around! He was a real character and his antics are a welcome relief from the sadness. The cow stories are TMI and I skimmed some of them, not having the stomach for bovine surgery. I also glossed over some of the more detailed medical terminology.
I dislike the flat portryal of Helen as the happy homemaker. I've heard the actress from the show say the children have told her stories about their mother and she was quite exceptional. Only the male characters get fleshed out.
There's no denying "James Herriot" knew how to tell a good story though. He was a wonderful storyteller and knew just how to tug on the heartstrings of his readers. I'm grateful he wrote down his memories and his lovely wife pushed him to do it.
These stories are not as charming as most of the ones in the previous volumes. Perhaps they are tinged with sadness because of war or because the author was homesick at that time he was thinking of these particular cases. Chapter 9 is the story of The Christmas Day Kitten, also published as a picture book for children. That one is heartwarming and charming. Some of the other domestic animals don't fare as well as the kitten. The story of the poisoned dogs made me so upset and heartbroken. Almost all the dog stories are sad. The happier ones are published elsewhere too. There aren't any amusing anecdotes about Tricki Woo but there is a cute story about a Scottish Terrier and Tristan. Tristan sure livened things up a bunch when he was around! He was a real character and his antics are a welcome relief from the sadness. The cow stories are TMI and I skimmed some of them, not having the stomach for bovine surgery. I also glossed over some of the more detailed medical terminology.
I dislike the flat portryal of Helen as the happy homemaker. I've heard the actress from the show say the children have told her stories about their mother and she was quite exceptional. Only the male characters get fleshed out.
There's no denying "James Herriot" knew how to tell a good story though. He was a wonderful storyteller and knew just how to tug on the heartstrings of his readers. I'm grateful he wrote down his memories and his lovely wife pushed him to do it.
June 8, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. All the little tales in this book are so interesting and really make appreciate the little things in life. Like the slow wag of an old dog's tail, a hot meal after a long day, and the first wobbly steps of a newborn foal. Some of the tales seemed impossible but the book is based on James Herriot's life as a vet. I recommend reading this book if you love animals and want to appreciate the little things in life a little bit more. ❤
October 31, 2021
James Herriot has and always will be a favorite of mine. Sometimes the stories are funny, and sometimes they're quite sobering. It is brutally honest and deals with uncomfortable situations, but all the same it is a delightful read, one that I would find myself wasting time on when I should have been doing something else!
September 4, 2014
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2018
Re-read as audiobook.
March 31, 2021
If you love rural, if you love farmers, if you love animals you can't help but love this book.
June 20, 2023
Ahhhh I love these books. They are such a joy to read.
January 1, 2023
I love James Herriot. That is all.
August 12, 2025
👂 listened. My rating: 5
What else is there to say? Peak bedtime story material.
If this book were a beverage it would be Nestle Abuelita hot chocolate made with whole milk: comfort in a cup
What else is there to say? Peak bedtime story material.
If this book were a beverage it would be Nestle Abuelita hot chocolate made with whole milk: comfort in a cup
Read
April 26, 2016My other books in this series are much-thumbed editions, obviously read and reread until the color is rubbed off the spine-edges.
This volume, though it's also used, is in better condition. It rather makes me wish Herriot had stuck to his determination not to discuss his war experiences. He clearly hated them so much that it discolored his memories, and it's not surprising that he keeps slipping away into reminiscence. If he had to discuss those years at all, I'd have preferred it if he'd dug out his letters from Tristan, who did service AS a vet, and probably had some fascinating stories to tell. Only once in this whole volume does Herriot actually get to work as a vet in the present tense--after he's grounded he's sent out as a farm laborer, and happens to be by to help with a difficult calving.
At the end of the previous volume, Herriot is warned by a native Yorkshireman that if he goes to the big city he'll be forced back into taking "big steps and little 'uns". Herriot, originally a big city man, takes the warning seriously, but doesn't really realize how countrified he's become until he actually finds himself in London, taking those big steps and little 'uns in a cold, acidic fog.
Any man who dedicates a book (as this one is) to his dogs must have found it a great wrench to have to leave his dog behind when he departed to his training. The dog must have resented it even more than his very pregnant wife, because she would understand, though reluctantly. The dog would just have felt unaccounably abandoned.
There are a few redeeming qualities from the abusive treatment Herriot and his companions are meted out. Both places he stays as a recruit do at least have plentiful hot water. And when Herriot gets sent to Scarborborough, he finds himself put up in one of the old grand hotels (it's actually called the Grand in the book, but I don't know if that was its real name), in an area near his home and with a much more congenial climate than the London he describes. But the constant anonymous abuse he describes too often drives him to retreat into reminiscences. I don't suppose he was anymore convinced by sadistic people telling him he'd thank them for the ordeals they put him through than I've ever been. He makes an attempt to be gracious about it, but I'm not convinced. I have never in my life thanked anybody afterward for stoving in my body and mind, and I'd think the very concept risible if it weren't so destructive.
Still, there are redeeming qualities, even in the present tense. The description of pilot training is one of the better descriptions I've heard, and I've heard a few, including some from relatives. It rather makes me wonder if Herriot didn't take up flying as a hobby, though he never mentions it. The description of Herriot's experience of couvade (sympathy pregnancy, which he experienced with both his children), his description of his shock at seeing the newborn Jimmy (farm animal babies are normally more developed at birth)...all these make for good reading. And of course the nostalgic stories of events before the war (especially the flatulent dog) are as fun as his other books. I think some of the stories were issued as stand-alone books--I'll try looking for them and adding them. It's a pity the good stories are too often reduced to compensatory souvenirs for a perennially homesick man.
When I get to this volume in reading through the series, I'm tempted to hold my breath and rush through. But that would be a shame, and fortunately there's enough good stuff to slow down and savor.
Likely this volume will remain unthumbed, however. There's just too much gristle and not enough meat.
Minor trivia note for those who are coordinating the books with the tv show: the story of Roddy the the tramping laborer is near the end of this book. In the tv series, the character is played by Patrick Troughton, the 2nd Doctor from Doctor Who. If I hadn't seen it in the credits, I wouldn't have known it--he's unrecognizable. The mark of s VERY good actor, I'd say.
Note on the titles: this volume contains the relevant lines of hymn the titles of the first four books in the American versions are derived from.
This volume, though it's also used, is in better condition. It rather makes me wish Herriot had stuck to his determination not to discuss his war experiences. He clearly hated them so much that it discolored his memories, and it's not surprising that he keeps slipping away into reminiscence. If he had to discuss those years at all, I'd have preferred it if he'd dug out his letters from Tristan, who did service AS a vet, and probably had some fascinating stories to tell. Only once in this whole volume does Herriot actually get to work as a vet in the present tense--after he's grounded he's sent out as a farm laborer, and happens to be by to help with a difficult calving.
At the end of the previous volume, Herriot is warned by a native Yorkshireman that if he goes to the big city he'll be forced back into taking "big steps and little 'uns". Herriot, originally a big city man, takes the warning seriously, but doesn't really realize how countrified he's become until he actually finds himself in London, taking those big steps and little 'uns in a cold, acidic fog.
Any man who dedicates a book (as this one is) to his dogs must have found it a great wrench to have to leave his dog behind when he departed to his training. The dog must have resented it even more than his very pregnant wife, because she would understand, though reluctantly. The dog would just have felt unaccounably abandoned.
There are a few redeeming qualities from the abusive treatment Herriot and his companions are meted out. Both places he stays as a recruit do at least have plentiful hot water. And when Herriot gets sent to Scarborborough, he finds himself put up in one of the old grand hotels (it's actually called the Grand in the book, but I don't know if that was its real name), in an area near his home and with a much more congenial climate than the London he describes. But the constant anonymous abuse he describes too often drives him to retreat into reminiscences. I don't suppose he was anymore convinced by sadistic people telling him he'd thank them for the ordeals they put him through than I've ever been. He makes an attempt to be gracious about it, but I'm not convinced. I have never in my life thanked anybody afterward for stoving in my body and mind, and I'd think the very concept risible if it weren't so destructive.
Still, there are redeeming qualities, even in the present tense. The description of pilot training is one of the better descriptions I've heard, and I've heard a few, including some from relatives. It rather makes me wonder if Herriot didn't take up flying as a hobby, though he never mentions it. The description of Herriot's experience of couvade (sympathy pregnancy, which he experienced with both his children), his description of his shock at seeing the newborn Jimmy (farm animal babies are normally more developed at birth)...all these make for good reading. And of course the nostalgic stories of events before the war (especially the flatulent dog) are as fun as his other books. I think some of the stories were issued as stand-alone books--I'll try looking for them and adding them. It's a pity the good stories are too often reduced to compensatory souvenirs for a perennially homesick man.
When I get to this volume in reading through the series, I'm tempted to hold my breath and rush through. But that would be a shame, and fortunately there's enough good stuff to slow down and savor.
Likely this volume will remain unthumbed, however. There's just too much gristle and not enough meat.
Minor trivia note for those who are coordinating the books with the tv show: the story of Roddy the the tramping laborer is near the end of this book. In the tv series, the character is played by Patrick Troughton, the 2nd Doctor from Doctor Who. If I hadn't seen it in the credits, I wouldn't have known it--he's unrecognizable. The mark of s VERY good actor, I'd say.
Note on the titles: this volume contains the relevant lines of hymn the titles of the first four books in the American versions are derived from.
August 15, 2020
2020 review: My GOODNESS, I love these books. I don't know if it's just the time I'm reading them in or what, but they're basically keeping me going these days. I will say that the connections between the stories in this volume are tenuous at best. Chronologically, this story takes place during the author's training for the RAF, but very few stories are from that time period. The rest are things like, "This fellow soldier talked a lot. That reminds me of the time I visited this one farm with a family who never stopped talking..." and off we are, back to Yorkshire for three chapters. The author is a little hazy on what operation kept him from actually shipping overseas, and after reading his Wikipedia article, I can't blame him. >_<
For a particularly whiplash-inducing experience, I listened to this book on audiobook during the same week that I read The Nightmare Stacks in hardcover, a weird scifi/fantasy invasion story that also just so happened to be set in the Yorkshire Dales. Heartwarming veterinarian tales on one hand, elves from space invading on the other.
2012 review: All Things Wise and Wonderful is James Herriot’s third book recounting his adventures as a veterinarian in Yorkshire, England. His books are always amusing, but some of the stories in this one had me tearing up, I was laughing so hard. This is not the book to be reading surreptitiously under your desk at work, let me tell you. I snicker every time I think of the story of Mrs. Beck and her holy terror of a cat, and I’ve told it to every friend who will sit still long enough to hear it.
For a particularly whiplash-inducing experience, I listened to this book on audiobook during the same week that I read The Nightmare Stacks in hardcover, a weird scifi/fantasy invasion story that also just so happened to be set in the Yorkshire Dales. Heartwarming veterinarian tales on one hand, elves from space invading on the other.
2012 review: All Things Wise and Wonderful is James Herriot’s third book recounting his adventures as a veterinarian in Yorkshire, England. His books are always amusing, but some of the stories in this one had me tearing up, I was laughing so hard. This is not the book to be reading surreptitiously under your desk at work, let me tell you. I snicker every time I think of the story of Mrs. Beck and her holy terror of a cat, and I’ve told it to every friend who will sit still long enough to hear it.
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