All Creatures Great and Small is a semiautobiographical account of a Yorkshire veterinarian of the animals he treated, and, most tellingly of all, the farmers, families, and neighbors of the town of Darrowby and the surrounding countryside. Herriot’s professional attention to the calves, horses, dogs, cats, and other creatures he treats is matched by an unassuming sensitivity to the quirks and charms of the people—by turns cranky, crusty, amiable, and tender—who bring the animals to him. Indeed, it is the human, community story that lifts Herriot’s episodic narratives into a special class that, despite its constant engagement with life, death, and other elemental matters, is among the most joyful and delightful volumes you will ever open.
I grew up on these books and was drawn into his life and that of his neighbors, friends and country. It provides insight into the human condition - often through the eyes of animals.
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