James Herriot, the veterinarian and author of the book All Creatures Great and Small (and its many sequels), was a storyteller. He transformed his adventures as a young vet in the 1930s and 40s into entertaining, finely articulated writing that reads like an act of love. The setting in the wild and beautiful Yorkshire Dales of England was as integral to his work as the animals, farmers and pet owners. From lambing in the middle of frigid nights, to racing his jalopy up and down the hills with dogs at his wheels, he makes it sound as though his life was a privilege to live. He's a very human observor without being judgmental. His empathy and understanding of what made his patients (and their owners) tick, his appreciation of their varied personalities and habits, his ability to laugh at himself make him a good companion. He shares the absurd and miraculous. He reflects beyond what would be appropriate fare at high tea, acknowledging the amazing range of behavior in the animal world.

His books taught me a bit about anatomy and medicine, made me laugh, and helped me feel better about the world. He educated millions of us about rumens and sulfa powder. Herriot drank his whiskey with colleagues, and local ale at the pubs. He smoked his pipe, and threw an occasional curse out into the hills. An uplifting writer, he lived his affinity with the C.F. Alexander verse from which he took the titles of his books:

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.