I am of the generation that was introduced to the autobiographical writings of James Herriot via a weekly TV show starring Christopher Timothy as the vet (I think that there is now a newer version but I am an older person). I still see the actor in my head when reading these books but the author was actually Scottish. If Only They Could Talk is the first of the series of books following the author as he came to Yorkshire in the 1930s as a very junior vet in a practice run by the mercurial Siegfried Farnon (and yes, in my head he is Robert Hardy).
The books are fascinating and often very funny as the author describes his first dealings with the Yorkshire people who are not always very welcoming to a newcomer, and his involvement with his boss and his younger brother Tristan. Obviously the stories are a little enhanced for publication but you get a good feel for the community and for its attitude to livestock and to life.
The veterinary practice is mainly large animals but the author does have to deal with some domestic pets and their owners. He encounters farmers who are cruel to their animals and many who are stingy with their pennies and he has to challenge outdated practice and folk remedies. The biggest challenge for the vets, however, is the office manager they bring in to sort out their finances and the paperwork.
The book is respectful to Yorkshire and the author obviously remembers his early career with affection. The book is episodic and can be dipped in and out of more as a series of short stories. It does deal with important issues but the animals and the people are at the forefront of the narrative and they are what you will remember. If you enjoy this book there are a series of other volumes in a similar vein.
Anne Is Reading 