The Real James Herriot
The Authorized Biography
-
-
4.8 • 26 Ratings
-
-
- £5.99
-
- £5.99
Publisher Description
Take a trip down memory lane and read about the life of Britain's most beloved vet, who charmed us all with his bestselling tales of veterinary life in Yorkshire.
'A wonderful, glorious insight into the life of the man behind the books' 5***** Reader Review
'Moving . . . A book I shall treasure and read several times' 5***** Reader Review
______
After qualifying as a vet in 1939, Alf Wight, aka James Herriot, moved to a veterinary practice in Thirsk, Yorkshire.
It wasn't until he was over fifty when his first book of stories about life as a Yorkshire vet, If Only They Could Talk, was published, giving birth to some of Yorkshire's most famous and much-loved literary characters, and later becoming the popular BBC television series All Creatures Great and Small.
Not only did his books have great success, but they also inspired many to take up the profession, in what was known as the 'Herriot effect'.
Although he brought fame and fortune to himself and those around him, he remained an intensely private person, respected and trusted by those whose animals he cared for, and adored by millions of fans.
Written by his son with touching insight, this illuminating biography reveals the real man behind the title 'The World's Most Famous Vet'.
______
Readers are captivated by The Real James Herriot:
'Fascinating . . . A wonderful and worthy testament' 5***** Reader Review
'A real insight into the life of someone you feel you knew and loved' 5***** Reader Review
'Extremely poignant, gives great insight into those unforgettable tales of a Yorkshire Vet' 5***** Reader Review
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
When world-famous veterinary surgeon James Herriot died in 1995, the bestselling Yorkshire country animal doctor was known to millions of fans through his books and the TV series All Creatures Great and Small, although the inner man has remained elusive. Now Wight--Herriot's son and a veterinary surgeon himself, who worked in his father's practice and accompanied him on his rounds from the age of two--has written an affectionate, candid biography revealing many sides of Herriot unfamiliar to his fans. "Alf," as he was known to family and friends, was born James Alfred Wight (Herriot was a pseudonym) in England's industrial northeast, not in Scotland as many readers assume--though he spent his formative years in Glasgow and went to veterinary college there. His escapades as a carousing, lackluster veterinary student recall National Lampoon's Animal House. Herriot's many endearing tales of dogs and cats notwithstanding, he mainly treated large farm animals, branching out into pets later in his career. Wight portrays his father as a modest, down-to-earth and generous man, utterly unchanged by fame, a private individual who bottled up his emotions, which led to a nervous breakdown and electroshock therapy in 1960. This ebullient, moving biography, a worthy addition to the Herriot saga, shares many of the same qualities as the beloved vet's books: keen observation of human nature, gentle humor, vivid personalities (including the real-life people behind Herriot's semifictionalized characters) and lots of heartwarming anecdotes. Wight rounds out this solid bio with intimate details on Alf's writing career, the making of All Creatures (motion picture and TV series) and an account of his father's final brave battle against cancer. Photos.
