All Three Lovable Bestsellers: All Creatures Great and Small; All Things Bright and Beautiful; All Things Wise and Wonderful (3 Book Set in Slipcase) Paperback – January 1, 1979

In this day and age of technology, it is absolutely refreshing to read about a country vet in the 1930s tooling about in a rusty Aston Martin and saving animals to the best of his abilities without sophisticated drugs or equipment. The author's voice is so full of humor, warmth, and charm that I read all three books over the course of about a week (which is no easy feat as I also work full time).Herriot's stories show the reader the wonderful springs and the harsh winters of the Yorkshire country which he clearly loves, and introduces various characters (both two- and four-legged) that inhabit this world. His business partner is hilarious, the partner's brother is outrageous, and while there are some hard times in the book, it is easy to see the hope and optimism that the author feels about life - it is thoroughly infused in the entire narrative.There are some memorable characters and relationships portrayed in the book. The business partner who lectures Herriot about the importance of collecting money from the owners of the animals, only to turn around and refuse to collect money from a destitute man who brings his dog for treatment, and the story of the village troublemaker whose short-lived redemption was due to his desire to care for his stray dog - all these stories and more offer glimpses of humanity at its best and the strange bond between humans and animals, whether they are pets or farm animals.The prose is simple and descriptive and leads the reader to imagine the place and the daily life of this country vet. The book made me wish I had been alive in their world and had the fortune to know them personally. This book is simply delightful to read and should be in everyone's Kindle.

I first read the books of James Herriot when still a young girl, early teens. At that time I recall roaring with laughter at many of the scenes he beautifully described and the characters that people his stories. Now, I am old enough to really appreciate how beautifully descriptive this author is in creating scenes that come to life as one reads. He so beautifully describes the scenery of Yorkshire and I could often feel myself transported to this magical land. The characters of Sigfried and Tristan Farnan, and many of the farmers whom he comes to know are so well outlined as to feel that one has met them. As an animal lover, and having worked as a Veterinary technician, I really appreciated all the details shared about the caring of these creatures, large and small. If you want to read stories that are simple yet complex in the details of the surrounding countryside and of the people and animals that populate them, look no further than this compilation of three of James Herriot's best known and best loved stories.

As this reader approaches the end of six decades and pauses to consider the rescued dogs and cats that have shared his home and made their bed in permanent corners of his heart, I wonder if it was because my siblings and I devoured James Herriot's veterinary tales early in life. ('James Herriot' was the pen name of the real-life Alf Wight.)It wouldn't surprise. Such was the uncanny ability of Alfred Wight's eye to capture the immensely rich nuances of man and beast in the Yorkshire hills and dales of the earlier 20th century. Over a re-read that has lasted a year or two, I marvel at the patient and slightly awed love—I think that's the word—which fuels the gentle, acute conversations that are sprinkled across every page of ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL, AND ALL THINGS WISE AND WONDERFUL.I'm not sure whether you need to adore animals in order to delight in these books. Perhaps so, but maybe the short chapters work their way into readers' hearts and *turn them* into animal lovers. And devoted readers.I can think of only one tribute to these readable classics that comes even close to giving them their due: I'll just have to start reading them all over again.

I read all three of these books when they first were published- almost 50 years ago. Touching, fascinating, and absolutely hilarious at times-laugh out loud with stomach hurting and tears running down my face! I remembered some of the scenarios, but most of this was like reading new books, and they were as wonderful as I remembered. I had been recently thinking about them, when I got an e-mail from Amazon inviting me to look into these books, since I am an animal lover. My husband and I recently became parents of a huge, goofy GoldenDoodle after almost 30 years without any pets. I read much of the books with my 80 pound puppy in my lap-made the reading so much more meaningful. Highly recommend this series of extraordinary stories by an extraordinary man.

I lived for a year in England in a small village and loved it. These three books brought it back to memorylike I was there again. James Herriot has a descriptive style that paints a complete story. I'm reading the biography of the author written by his son next.