Every Living Thing by James Herriot

Information

Goodreads: Every Living Thing
Series: All Creatures Great and Small #5
Age Category: Adult
Source: Library
Published: 1992

Summary

In the final book in the All Creatures Great and Small series, James Herriot takes readers to the Yorkshire Dales of the 1950s. Familiar characters such as Tricki Woo return, while new favorites such as the eccentric, badger-carrying Calum Buchanan appear. Once again, Herriot delights with his gentle humor and humorous observations of both people and animals.

Review

The final book in James Herriot’s adventures as a vet in the Yorkshire Dales contains all his signature warmth and humor. Presumably knowing that this volume would indeed be the last, Herriot abandons the structure of his previous two volumes and returns to the strengths that made him famous. That is, he stops caring about fitting in parts of his life that are not related to veterinary practice in Darrowby, and instead just focuses on the animals. He even, finally, brings back Tricki Woo. Every Living Thing is a fitting and heartfelt conclusion to the series, though knowing that it is the last volume makes it feel bittersweet.

In a way, book five of the series feels closest to book one, which makes it, for me, one of the strongest in the series. Though Herriot is an established vet now, a partner with Siegfried in the practice, and a married man with two children, he recaptures some of the innocence of his early days by introducing some of the upcoming vets who come to train with him. First there is John Crooks, a more than capable vet who rises to become one of the leading men in the profession. And then there is the unforgettable Calum Buchanan, known for going everywhere–including on farm calls–with his pet badger on one shoulder. The assistants clearly make Herriot feel young again, even as he can bask in the security of his job and his loving family.

Other highlights of the book include the return of Tricki Woo, the reappearance of the eccentric Siegfried and his faulty memory, Herriot and Helen’s attempts to woo a pair of stray cats into their home, and the humorous incident of the “Cisco Kid.” There is a variety of stories here, showcasing Herriot’s keen skills of observation, as well as his ability to move seamless from amusing anecdotes to stories that touch the heart with their pathos. As always, Herriot’s book reminds reader that life is truly a wonderful and a wondrous thing.

All the warmth, humor, and joy are here again as Herriot takes readers on one final journey through time and the Yorkshire countryside he so clearly loves. Like many readers, I wish the journey never had to end. But I am comforted that I can always start again from the beginning.

You Might Also Enjoy

• All Creatures Great and Small
• All Things Bright and Beautiful
• All Things Wise and Wonderful
• The Lord God Made Them All
• TV Review: All Creatures Great and Small

The Lord God Made Them All by James Herriot

Information

Goodreads: The Lord God Made Them All
Series: All Creatures Great and Small #4
Age Category: Adult
Source: Library
Published: 1981

Summary

After leaving the RAF, James Herriot returns to Darrowby, where he continues his veterinary practice in the Yorkshire Dales, and also makes a few trips as a travel vet.

Review

The fourth volume in James Herriot’s series about veterinary practice in the Yorkshire Dales brings readers back to Darrowby after Herriot’s short stint in the RAF during WWII. The familiar people and places return, interspersed with chapters of Herriot’s trips to Russia and Istanbul. While I enjoyed Herriot’s trademark humor and gentle observations on life, I admittedly found the anecdotes less entertaining than those in his previous books. And I thought the foreign travel chapters were misplaced. Still, one cannot go wrong with Herriot. It’s always soothing to follow his stories at the end of a busy day.

Regrettably, much of the drama that makes the first two volumes in this series so memorable are missing. Herriot is no longer a young vet from the city who needs to prove himself, but an established professional. He no longer is courting Helen and finding himself in awkward situations, but is happily married with children. Even Siegfried and Tristan have gone off and gotten married, with no explanation of how that happened or who their wives are, meaning that a great deal of humor has gone. Even the anecdotes and people here are less engaging than those of yore. How I miss Tricki Woo! Still, Herriot’s gentle way of laughing at himself and finding the joy in everyday situations kept me reading.

But what to do with the chapters on Russia and Istanbul? Herriot, apparently, traveled as a ship’s vet to Russia once to make sure their livestock arrived healthy, and then by plane another time to Istanbul. He seems to have realized, however, that readers really just want stories from Darrowby, so he cuts up his accounts of each trip into chapters that appear randomly throughout the book. The first time the chapter on Russia suddenly cut off and switched back to Darrowby, I thought the audiobook I was listening to had skipped, or perhaps was defective. Had the creators just…forgotten to record the rest of the Russia chapters? But then, lo! A few chapters on, Herriot is back in Russia. It is extremely confusing.

To me, it seems obvious Herriot should have left these chapters out. The books are not really comprehensive accounts of his life and everything that happened, but anecdotes about veterinary practice in the Yorkshire Dales. Thematically, Herriot’s attempts to write a mini travelogue do not belong. I suppose he could have published them separately, but I also wonder if he knew his readers probably would not want to buy something like that from him. And, truly, I’m not sure Herriot was meant to be a travel writer. His account to Russia spends a lot of time on what he ate on the ship and how he was never sea sick, then meanders on to a few not particularly illuminating observations of the country. His trip to Istanbul is more humorous since he gets stranded there, but, he does not really have a keen sense for describing new places to readers. His talents are best reserved for the animals and the people who care for them.

Still, Herriot’s books are comfort reads. I love looking forward to his misadventures each day and to his gentle sense of humor. While I miss the Siegfried and Tristan stories of old, readers still get fun stories about the pets and farm animals Herriot treats. And one really feels Herriot’s love for his work and for humanity. The world always needs a bit of warmth, and that is just what Herriot’s books provide.

All Things Wise and Wonderful by James Herriot

Information

Goodreads: All Things Wise and Wonderful
Series: All Creatures Great and Small #3
Age Category: Adult
Source: Library
Published:

Summary

James Herriot begins training in the Royal Air Force during WWII, but still finds time to visit his pregnant wife Helen and reminisce about his veterinary practice in the Yorkshire Hills.

Review

I was intrigued by the third volume in James Herriot’s series about being a vet in the Yorkshire Dales because I knew that Jim would be heading off to the Royal Air Force. What would this mean for his charming animal stories? Would the book become a WWII memoir instead? Would we ever see Tricki Woo again? The answer is complicated. The book switches between brief anecdotes about Herriot’s time in the RAF and his memories of Darrowby. Often, the parts about his time in the RAF are just a few sentences that lead him into a vet story instead of an RAF story. In the end, I have mixed feelings about All Things Wise and Wonderful. I suppose Herriot could not have left out his time in the RAF completely, yet these parts often seem tangential to the book, as if Herriot was well aware of what his readers actually wanted–the Yorkshire Dales.

In thinking about my reaction to All Things Wise and Wonderful, I did wonder how Herriot could have mentioned his time in the RAF and yet still made the book feel a bit less choppy. I even wondered if he actually needed to mention the RAF at all. His books typically skip through time, with Herriot telling stories about his vet adventures before he was married, and then returning back to his “present.” If he just mentioned some of his training and then spent longer sections on his visiting his pregnant wife and meeting his son, it seems rather like that would have been well and good. Just enough to let readers know what his “present” is, while still launching him back into of his veterinary past. Because the joke is that, after finally getting trained to fly, Herriot is asked to have a surgery that then disqualifies him from flying. And, because he is in a reserve profession, he is unable enlist in another part of the military. Herriot gets sent home! His time in the RAF seems relatively minor.

In some respects, Herriot seems to understand his time in the RAF was relatively minor, and he really does not dwell on it. Sometimes I wondered why he bothered to bring readers back to his present, or frame narrative, at all. A section, for instance, might begin with a few sentences on a fellow trainee being odd, with Herriot using his observation to launch into a remark that animals can be odd, too. Then off we go into another memory. Why bring up the odd fellow at all? Why not just tell the animal story?

Because the animal stories are where Herriot really shines. He has some amusing incidents to relate about his time in the RAF, such as getting a tooth pulled by an incompetent dentist, but, by and large, his best writing is reserved for his time in Darrowby. This usually pertains to the animals, but, of course, his anecdotes about his colleagues Siegfried and Tristan are always worth a laugh, as well. The only character in Darrowby that Herriot does not really make come alive is arguably his wife Helen. Typically Herriot brings out the humor of human nature, but Helen is always presented as kind, generous, loving, and supportive. The perfect wife. It probably made for a happier marriage, but her character is one of the duller ones in the books.

Though some of the transitions from frame narrative to memories are clumsy, All Things Wise and Wonderful still brings Herriot’s signature charm, humor, and warmth to his stories. Joy, heartbreak, and wonder all mix together in his vivid depiction of life as a rural vet making this third installment well worth the read.

All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot

Information

Goodreads: All Things Bright and Beautiful
Series: All Creatures Great and Small #2
Age Category: Adult
Source: Library
Published: 1974

Summary

The second volume of James Herriot’s account of life as a vet in the Yorkshire Dales brings new experiences and new characters. Herriot is recently married, and enjoying it. However, his customers–both human and animal–continue to surprise and delight!

Review

James Herriot brings his signature charm and gentle humor to this second volume of stories collecting his experiences as a veterinarian in the Yorkshire Dales. Recently married, he adds some stories about the bliss of married life. But the focus remains on his four-legged patients and the humans who own them–and the humans often prove the most difficult to work with! Readers who adored All Creatures Great and Small will rejoice to find that the story continues.

In many respects, All Things Bright and Beautiful captures the same elements that make the first volume so special. Herriot treats all his subjects with sympathy, so that even rude and ungrateful customers come across as a part of a bemused observation on the eccentricities of human beings. Herriot himself is always the joke, and never the people who put him through such trials.

Still, at times, I found myself that Herriot were not always presenting himself as the hapless victim of circumstance. For instance, three times he gets drunk at the hands of the hospital vet, becomes ill, and embarrasses himself in company. Herriot always writes as if he just could not help it–he had to drink all that alcohol to prevent offending his friend. After awhile, however this particular storyline was not amusing. I really wanted to shout, “Just say no!” at Herriot, and tell him he is not obligated to make himself ill to make his friend feel good.

I also found myself wishing for more stories of Siegfried and Tristan. Tristan does get a rollicking storyline involving the appearance of a local ghost. Otherwise, however, he is relegated to chief supporter of Herriot’s attempts to court Helen. (The book goes back and forth in time, so it covers both Herriot’s current marriage and his past dating experiences.) Siegfried, too, is notably absent, which is a shame since his larger-than-life personality added a great deal to the humor of the first volume. Helen gains more prominence instead. But, as Herriot always portrays Helen as kind, loving, and generous, she is not exactly as interesting as the unhinged Siegfried, even if she does sound like a wonderful person to know.

Altogether, however, All Things Bright and Beautiful is a charming and cozy read, the type of book one wants to open when the world seems harsh. It is full with a great joy in life and a great love for humanity, the type that seems absolutely contagious.

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot

Information

Goodreads: All Creatures Great and Small
Series: All Creatures Great and Small #1
Age Category: Adult
Source: Library
Published: 1972

Summary

Fresh out of college, James Herriot arrives in Yorkshire, England to act as assistant to the local veterinarian.  He quickly finds practicing medicine vastly different from what he had expected.  The job requires him to labor at all hours of the night and day, often in bad weather, and healing animals proves difficult, dirty, and sometimes dangerous.  Even so, Herriot grows to love the countryside, its inhabitants, and his work. In All Creatures Great and Small, he gives vignettes of life as a country vet, chronicling his defeats, his triumphs, and his never-ending wonder at the miracle of life.

Review

After enjoying the first two seasons of PBS’ TV series All Creatures Great and Small, I knew I had to return to James Herriot’s original book–which I had first read over ten years ago! Herriot brings such warmth and humor to his memories of vet practice in the 1930s, that even the difficulties of his profession seem minor when compared to the joy it brings both him and the people (and animals) he helps. Reading his stories feels like tucking into bed with a warm cup of cocoa on a fall evening–cozy, comforting, and altogether perfect!

Part of the delight of the stories stems from how the past and the present intertwine. Herriot gives many fascinating glimpses into a way of life that was fading even at the time of his writing–farms were changing, veterinary medicine was making advances that would make his old medicines and techniques seem charmingly quaint. But much of what Herriot experienced still feels relevant today–the eccentricities of a boss who would give conflicting instructions and make his employee out to be wrong either way, the struggle for a young professional (and outsider) to find acceptance in the community, the chance at finding love. Times may have changed, but Herriot’s struggles and triumphs are still relatable.

And he relates all of it with a gentle humor that shows just how much he loved his life, the Dales, and the people he met. Even when he has stories of dishonest, rude, and overbearing customers, Herriot always makes himself the target of the joke, the hapless young vet at the mercy of the public. He relates his stories with such fondness, it seems impossible for readers not to fall in love with the Dales and its way of life, too.

Fortunately, this is only one book of many stories that Herriot write based on his life as a country vet. So readers who enjoy this volume have many more heartwarming stories to look forward to!

Ride On by Faith Erin Hicks

Information

Goodreads: Ride On
Series: None
Age Category: Middle Grade
Source: Library
Published: 2022

Summary

Victoria loves riding, but no longer wants the pressure or expense of competing. Her best friend Taylor, however, cannot understand this, leading the two to a dramatic fight. Victoria decides to start over at a new stable, where she will not make the mistake of trying to make new friends. But soon she realizes that everyone needs someone in their corner.

Review

Ride On is, of course, the perfect book to recommend to any tween or young tween obsessed with horses. It is also, however, a moving contemporary story about changing priorities and friendships, one that will delight fans of graphic novels such as Smile, Twins, and Real Friends. Faith Erin Hicks chronicles the struggles of growing up and growing away from old friends with real insight and sympathy, creating a story sure to resonate with any reader who has ever felt like they did not quite belong.

Ride On acknowledges from the start that the world of riding, while amazing, is also one that can be full of pressure and one that may prove inaccessible to those without the money. While it is heartbreaking to watch Victoria’s friend Taylor not understand how Victoria might want to enjoy riding for the sake of riding, instead of feeling the need to compete, it somehow feels worse to watch Taylor refuse to acknowledge Victoria’s financial worries. Taylor’s dreams of winning ribbons is one thing; her refusal to admit that she can only do this because her parents are wealthy is amazingly obtuse. I just wanted her, for one moment, to validate Victoria’s feelings. But if you are looking for an easy story about easily mended friendships, this is not it.

Fortunately, however, Ride On does hold out hope to readers. Although Victoria’s initial instinct is to protect herself from any future harm by refusing all new friendship, that, of course, cannot last long. Everyone needs a friend, or someone to support them, and Victoria quickly finds people who accept her for who she is. Watching the riders at her new stable reach out, validate her feelings, and offer to support her only in the ways she is comfortable with, is truly heartwarming. But there are plenty of laughs and lighthearted moments, too!

I always love a good middle grade graphic novel focused on friendships, and Ride On does not disappoint. If there was anything I wanted, it was for the story to be longer! It is simply too endearing for it to end so soon!

TV Series Review: All Creatures Great and Small (Seasons 1 & 2)

Summary

Fresh out of college, James Herriot arrives in Yorkshire, England to act as assistant to the local veterinarian.  He quickly finds practicing medicine vastly different from what he had expected.  The job requires him to labor at all hours of the night and day, often in bad weather, and healing animals proves difficult, dirty, and sometimes dangerous.  Even so, Herriot grows to love the countryside, its inhabitants, and his work.

Review

The newest TV adaptation of James Herriot’s classic account of his work as vet set in the 1930s Yorkshire Dales brings all the book’s heart and humor to the screen. Nicholas Ralph stars a young Herriot who arrives at his first job straight out of vet school, only to discover that his new employer Siegfried is rather eccentric and that Siegfried’s younger brother Tristan is home and ready to cause mischief. The job, meanwhile, is more physically demanding than Herriot expected, and the farmers are somewhat suspicious of outsiders and slow to accept both change and the word of a young vet over their own experience. Fortunately, however, the Dales might just offer Herriot a chance at love! It is hard but rewarding to eke out a living in the countryside, and Herriot and viewers will soon find that the Yorkshire Dales has a homey charm all its own.

All Creatures Great and Small is simply the coziest of TV shows, one I look forward to watching after a hard day or when I need a bit of cheer. The episodes are quiet, each focusing on a new veterinary dilemma, as well as the stories of the ensemble cast–Tristan’s efforts to pass his veterinary exams, Mrs. Hall’s relationship with her son, Herriot’s blooming romance, and more. Though some stories end in sadness, the overall tone is that life goes on, always with the support of our loved ones. The show makes it seem as if the Yorkshire Dales is the best place to be–a place of kindness and caring at all times. Truly, I wish sometimes that I lived in Skeldale House!

The title emphasizes the animals, but the characters are what make the show. Their distinct personalities play off each other to create often humorous scenarios, but ones where viewers understand that all the characters have a mutual respect and fondness for each other. Samuel West shines as the eccentric Siegfried Farnon, whose pride in his business and unwillingness to admit that he can be wrong contrasts with the happy-go-lucky nature of his younger brother Tristan, who may be goofy but also yearns to prove himself. Anna Madeley as housekeeper Mrs. Hall works as the glue that binds Skeldale House together, as she skillfully navigates all the strong personalities under her care, and quietly guides everyone to where they need to be. Other recurring characters prove just as integral to the show, from the hilariously excessive Mrs. Pumphrey, who coddles her dog Tricki Woo like her firstborn child, to Helen’s taciturn father. The community is what makes the show–and the Dales–special.

I have loved every episode of All Creatures Great and Small, loved watching the characters grow, loved seeing how they each are branching out and finding their way. I worry about the looming war as season three approaches, but cannot wait to see how the community continues to pull together in times of adversity. This is truly a show not to be missed if you want a heartwarming, feel-good story that will make your day seem a little brighter.

Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker, Junyi Wu (Illustrator)

Information

Goodreads: Scary Stories for Young Foxes
Series: None
Source: Library
Published: 2019

Summary

Seven young foxes gather round to hear a scary story. But will the heroes, Mia and Uly, make it through unscathed? The kits cannot bear to find out. Will any of them stay long enough to hear the end?

Review

Scary Stories for Young Foxes is a book rather unlike any I have ever read. The framing story features seven young foxes who want to hear a scary tale, so their mother sends them to the storyteller. But what they hear is so frightening, they each begin to leave, one by one. The storyteller’s tale is actually a series of short stories, or perhaps it might be thought of as a serial tale, with each segment ending in a cliffhanger or at least a foreboding sense that the good times cannot last long. The marriage between the framing story and the internal story creates a deliciously meta book about the power of words and the tales we tell. Scary Stories for Young Foxes may sound like it is only frightening for woodland critters, but human readers will be afraid to turn the lights out, too.

What I really loved about Scary Stories for Young Foxes is that it makes the worries of foxes seem so immediate. The tale opens with a horrible story of a yellow disease overcoming the foxes one by one. They try to flee, but cannot seem to outrun the yellow. Human readers will understand the foxes have gone rabid, but, seen through the eyes of a fox, there is only the terrible transformation into an unthinking, biting creature. Zombie foxes. Yeah, I was terrified. And I’m not a fox.

The book continues in this terrifying vein, but the most affecting horrors of the tale ultimately turn out not to be the monsters the young foxes fear in the woods, but the cruelty of friends and family. Mia and Uly, the protagonists of the storyteller’s tale, face abandonment, mockery, and abuse from animals they trust. This makes the story almost unbearably dark, and certainly a serious work adults may want to discuss with their children. Don’t write this story off just because it’s about animals we tend to find cute.

Scary Stories for Young Foxes may seem like a weird or unusual book. It may seem so unusual, readers may overlook it, just because it is difficult to categorize. However, the extreme originality of the book is part of what makes it worthwhile to read. This, along with the heartwarming heroism of the protagonists, the action-packed plot, and the creepy atmosphere that envelops the whole, make Scary Stories for Young Foxes a must-read for fans of middle-grade literature.

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

The Great American Read is an eight-part television series celebrating and discussing America’s top 100 novels as chosen by a survey of approximately 7,200 people.  Americans can vote on their favorite book once a day until the winner is revealed on October 23.  Here at Pages Unbound, we’ll be joining the fun by reading, reviewing, and discussing some of the nominees!

Information

Goodreads: Where the Red Fern Grows
Series: None
Source: Library
Published: 1961

Summary

Billy Colman wants nothing more than to own two red coonhounds, but his family cannot afford them.  For two years he works to save the money himself and then, at last, he, Old Dan, and Little Ann are an inseparable trio, the best hunting team around.  The classic story of a boy and his dogs.

Review

When I left my office that beautiful spring day, I had no idea what was in store for me.

Set in what appears to be the 1920s in the Ozarks, Where the Red Fern Grows is a celebration of the ties that bind people and their animals.  In many ways, the plot follows a simple trajectory, eschewing drama in order to focus on the relationships.  The result is a compelling story sure to melt the hearts of readers.  I never thought I would fall in love with a story about a boy and his dogs, but Wilson Rawls won me over from the start.

Though the 1920s were certainly a different time with different values, I immediately found myself entering into Billy’s world with sympathy and compassion.  Billy is simply too plucky for me not to root for him.  His perseverance in working for his dogs, his willingness to suffer for them without complaint, and his hard work in training them all made me love him.  He may live so far in the country that he has never seen a school or a soda pop, but he loves the life he has and he faces any challenges with cheerful determination.  His mother may dream of living in the city, but his heart is in the woods and readers have to respect that.

The dogs’ love for Billy return, however, is what really makes the book. They have a wonderful relationship, with Old Dan and Little Ann refusing to hunt with anyone but Billy.  They also look out for each other on the trail, lick each other’s wounds, and share what they have.  Billy believes in them so much that he refuses to break any promises he makes to them, often wearing himself out or risking his own life to make sure that they know he will always come through for them.  The dogs take pride in their work hunting raccoons and Billy understands that and respects it in a way others will not.  Billy treats his dogs like people, not animals.

Where the Red Fern Grows is a beautiful story that justly deserves its status as a classic.  You will want a box of tissues handy as you sob over Billy’s determination and his dogs’ devotion.

About the Author

Born in the Ozark Mountains, Wilson Rawls received little formal education.  He was inspired to write by Jack London’s Call of the Wild, but in his adulthood ended up destroying several manuscripts because he was ashamed of his spelling and grammar.  His wife encouraged him to rewrite Where the Red Fern Grows, however, and then acted as a copy editor for him.  Where the Red Fern Grows was published in 1961.

Sources:

• “Wilson Rawls.” Penguin Random House. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/24998/wilson-rawls
• “Meet the Author: Wilson Rawls.” Houghton Mifflin. https://www.eduplace.com/kids/tnc/mtai/rawls.html

Take the quiz to see how many of the Great American Read nominees you have already read!

 

Otter Goes to School by Sam Garton

INFORMATION

Goodreads: Otter Goes to School
Series:  None
Source: Library
Published: 2016

SUMMARY

When Otter asks how Otter Keeper became so clever, he tells her about school.  Since Otter can think of several friends who need school, she starts her own.  But when Teddy worries that he isn’t good at anything, Otter begins to think she isn’t a very good teacher.

Review

Like  many of the other Otter books, Otter Goes to School does not have a particularly original premise–picture books about going to school are rather plentiful.  However, Otter gives this story added warmth and charm.  With her signature humor and many cute otter faces, she makes this book worth a reread.

What I love most about the Otter books is the expressiveness of the pictures and Otter’s enthusiasm for life.  Whether she’s dancing, giving out gold stars in class, or coloring, Otter loves it all.  It kind of makes me want to jump in and share the fun.  Everything is the best thing ever!  All this enthusiasm is balanced by some of Otter’s low moments, whether she’s scared or frustrated or sad.  Then her little whiskers droop and you want to give her a hug because Otters, you know, are just meant to be happy.

Spending a day with Otter is always a delight.  I hope there are many more Otter books to come to brighten our days.