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Farley Mowat
Jane Goodall

The Real James Herriot
Jim Wight
ISBN 0771088434

The careers of Jim Wight and his father, Alf Wight (aka James Herriot) are similar in many ways.  Both men qualified from the Glasgow Veterinary College, both worked at the practice of Sinclair and Wight in Thirsk, England (Skeldale House in Herriot’s books) and both wrote their first books when they were in their 50s - Alf at the age of 53 and Jim at 56.

The Real James Herriot took Jim Wight approximately 2 ½ years to complete - a year of research and 18 months to write the authorized biography of his father. Jim Wight is immensely qualified to write about his father. Not only did he spend considerable time with him while he was growing up, but he also worked alongside him for more than 20 years at the practice in Thirsk - and he knew the people his father wrote about. This, combined with the fact that Jim had access to family letters, Alf’s unpublished works and lots of stories recalled from relatives and friends and there is little doubt that Jim Wight was the right person to write his father’s biography.

Before he set out writing his book, Jim Wight re-read his father’s books to "…pick up some tips from the master,…" He learned very well from his father’s books as The Real James Herriot is written in an easy to read style and is not only very informative, but entertaining as well with lots of interesting anecdotes and information pertaining to some of the characters written about in Herriot’s books. Quoting from Alf Wight’s diaries, family letters and unpublished works not only provides considerable insight into his father’s life, but makes for some fascinating reading as well.

All too often the phrase "a must read" is thrown around by people who review books. The Real James Herriot is a very good biography about a very interesting man - and certainly "a must read" for Herriot fans.

I asked Jim Wight what writing his father’s biography meant to him and what he wanted to accomplish. His response was:

"My father felt privileged to have spent his life among such a host of fascinating, amusing and interesting people. So much so that he felt compelled, from an early age, to preserve such people in print. This of course he did more brilliantly and successfully than anyone could have ever imagined.

"I too feel privileged to have had a father such as he. I am pleased to have preserved, in print, the life of a man who, himself, was humourous, fascinating and interesting. His many fans imagined him to be one of life’s gentlemen. My number one aim in writing this book was to tell his fans they were right."

Alf Wight was a modest man who didn’t want a biography written about himself. He did say, however, that if one was to be written that his son should write it. Jim Wight followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming a veterinarian, he has also followed in his footsteps by becoming a gifted author. I’m sure that Alf Wight would have been very proud of this book.
 
 

The Real James Herriot: The Authorized Biography (audio book) Jim Wight (Read by Christopher Timothy) ISBN: 1559275731 The Real James Herriot: The Authorized Biography, Jim Wight’s excellent biography of his father Alf Wight, commonly known as James Herriot, is available as an audio book (Audio Renaissance.) Read by Christopher Timothy, who played James Herriot in the popular BBC television series All Creatures Great and Small, this abridged version of the book provides approximately 3 hours of entertaining information about the world’s most beloved veterinarian.

James Herriot’s Yorkshire Revisited
James Herriot   Photographs by Derry Brabbs
ISBN: 0771041020

Fans of James Herriot’s books about life as a veterinarian in North Yorkshire, England will enjoy James Herriot’s Yorkshire Revisited which consists of extracts from Herriot’s other books describing some of the places where the popular veterinarian worked and lived. Beautiful photographs by Derry Brabbs combine with Herriot’s descriptive text to provide us with a glimpse of the wondrous Yorkshire countryside that Alf Wight (James Herriot’s real name) loved so much. An insightful introduction by Alf Wight’s son, Jim, complements the book.
 

Nip & Sam (audio book) James Herriot (read by Christopher Timothy) ISBN: 0886466016 Nip & Sam contains several of Herriot’s stories as told by Christopher Timothy in this entertaining audio book. Among Herriot’s typical warm and often humourous stories are his looking after Helen’s (his future wife) dog, Dan, who dislocated his hip, his assistance, along with his dog Sam’s help, helping a dog cope with his human guardian’s death and his involvement in bringing Roy, a neglected dog, with Mrs. Donovan whose dog, Rex, has just been killed.  Typical Herriot writing, these warm, often humourous, stories will delight again and again readers (listeners) of all ages.

Note: Many other books, audio tapes and videos by (or about) James Herriot will  be reviewed here in the coming months.  To see reviews of James Herriot's children's books, click here.

The Place in the Forest R.D. Lawrence ISBN: 1896219292 More than four decades ago R.D. Lawrence and his wife bought a property in eastern Ontario which they affectionately named "The Place." It was on this land that the Lawrences met, lived with and learned from their wild neighbours who included raccoons, bears, wolves, beavers, skunks, birds, mice and a variety of other animal and plant life. In The Place in the Forest Lawrence shares his astute observations of, and his compassion for, the animals and plants in and around his home. By reading his fascinating accounts of life on The Place the reader becomes a guest at the Lawrences’ home - a special guest who is given a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the natural environment that we share with a multitude of other life forms. Take a trip with R.D. Lawrence to this special place. You’ll be glad that you did! Note: Although originally published in 1967, Natural Heritage Books republished The Place in the Forest in 1998.

Where the Water Lilies Grow R.D. Lawrence ISBN: 1896219527 If you are in the mood for an incredible wilderness experience, pick up a copy of R.D. Lawrence’s, Where the Water Lilies Grow. By reading this book you will accompany Lawrence as he explores a lake and its environs near his former home in the Canadian backwoods. Lawrence’s keen observations regarding the ways that animals interact with each other and their natural world are informative and insightful. As you read about his wilderness experiences you learn about the wild life of this ecosystem through the seasons and how all the parts contribute to its health and incredible beauty. With this knowledge comes a greater respect for the natural world and a stronger commitment to preserve it before it is lost. Originally published in 1968, this environmental classic (and the sequel to The Place in the Forest) was republished by Natural Heritage Books in 1999.