Books › All Things Wise and Wonderful (All Creatures Great and Small #5-6)
All Things Wise and Wonderful (All Creatures Great and Small #5-6)
900 pages
A warm, nostalgic embrace of a book that balances the anxieties of wartime with the enduring comforts of the Yorkshire dales and its eccentric inhabitants.
What it feels like
Reading this installment feels like sitting by a crackling hearth with an old friend who is an exceptional storyteller. The pace is decidedly leisurely, inviting you to wander through episodic memories of the Yorkshire dales even as the shadow of World War II looms in the background. The mood is deeply comforting and pastoral, yet tinged with the bittersweet ache of homesickness and separation. Herriot’s prose is conversational, wry, and endlessly affectionate, capturing the quirks of both humans and animals with gentle humor and profound empathy. It is a book that delights readers looking for a cozy, grounding escape, offering a poignant reminder of the enduring power of community, love, and the simple, messy beauty of the natural world.
- Mood
- cozy
- pastoral
- bittersweet
- heartwarming
- Tone
- wry
- affectionate
- self-deprecating
- nostalgic
- gentle
- Pace
- leisurely
- Themes
- human-animal bond · wartime separation · rural community · comforts of home · finding joy in small things
- The writing
- Conversational and unpretentious, with a keen, affectionate eye for the eccentricities of both people and animals.
- The arc
- Transitions from the displacement and uncertainty of military service into the grounding, warm embrace of cherished memories, culminating in a sense of enduring hope.
- Who it's for
- Anyone seeking a comforting, humorous retreat into a simpler time, where decency and a love for nature prevail.
Content notes
- animal illness and death
- wartime anxiety
- veterinary medical details
About the book
Readers adored James Herriot's tales of his life as a Yorkshire animal doctor in the first two collections in the “All Creatures Great and Small” series. Now here's a third delightful volume of memoirs rich with his 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.
(Originally printed in the UK as two books: Book #5 - Vets Might Fly, and Book #6 -Vet in a Spin.)
Description from Open Library.
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