The Wonderful World of James Herriot

“Veterinary Notes” by James Harriot 

The Veterinarian’s Notes by James Harriot includes several books

• “All Creatures Great and Small”
• “About all creatures – beautiful and amazing”
• “And they are all creatures of nature”
• “All Living” (“Among the Yorkshire Hills”)
• “Dog Stories”
• “Cat Stories”.

 James Harriot’s books can be read over and over again. They never get bored. I discovered the wonderful world of the inhabitants of the Yorkshire hills as a child. And since then I have been adding more and more people to the number of “adepts” of the “Veterinarian’s Notes”. After all, everyone who has a soul should read these stories. They will make you laugh and sad – but even sadness will be pleasant. And what about the famous English sense of humor! .. Many are convinced that since the books are written by a veterinarian and the title of each contains a mention of “creatures of nature”, they are only about animals. But it is not so. Yes, the plot mostly revolves around four-legged animals, but still, most of it is devoted to people. Harriot’s characters are alive, and therefore memorable. A rough farmer who can’t afford to rest, but has secured a pension for two horses. The ubiquitous know-it-all Mrs. Donovan, a thorn in the foot of veterinarians – but only she can take out a hopeless dog. Nurse Rosa, who runs a dog shelter with her own money, and the great Granville Bennet, for whom nothing is impossible. Model “British character” trainee Peter Carmody and “veterinarian with a badger” Colem Buchanan. “Working for cats” Mrs. Bond, owner of the panther-like Boris, and Mrs. Pumphrey with Tricky-Woo. And many, many others. This, of course, not to mention Tristan and Siegfried! In fact, the city of Darrowby is not on the map of England. And Siegfried and Tristan also did not exist, the brothers had quite ordinary English names: Brian and Donald. And the name of the writer himself is not James Harriot, but Alfred White. At the time of the book’s creation, advertising laws were very strict and works could be seen as illegal “promotion” of services. Therefore, all the names and titles had to be changed. But, reading the “Notes of a Veterinarian”, you catch yourself thinking that everything written there is true. And Darrowby hides among the picturesque Yorkshire hills, and veterinary brothers with the names of characters from Wagner’s operas still practice there … The charm of Harriot’s books is hard to outshine. They are warm, kind and incredibly bright. The only pity is that there will be no new ones. And those that are, “swallowed” very quickly.

Pictured: James Harriot