The classic multimillion copy bestseller
Delve into the magical, unforgettable world of James Herriot, the world's most beloved veterinarian, and his menagerie of heartwarming, funny, and tragic animal patients.
For over forty years, generations of readers have thrilled to Herriot's marvelous tales, deep love of life, and extraordinary storytelling abilities. For decades, Herriot roamed the remote, beautiful Yorkshire Dales, treating every patient that came his way from smallest to largest, and observing animals and humans alike with his keen, loving eye.
In All Creatures Great and Small, we meet the young Herriot as he takes up his calling and discovers that the realities of veterinary practice in rural Yorkshire are very different from the sterile setting of veterinary school. Some visits are heart-wrenchingly difficult, such as one to an old man in the village whose very ill dog is his only friend and companion, some are lighthearted and fun, such as Herriot's periodic visits to the overfed and pampered Pekinese Tricki Woo who throws parties and has his own stationery, and yet others are inspirational and enlightening, such as Herriot's recollections of poor farmers who will scrape their meager earnings together to be able to get proper care for their working animals. From seeing to his patients in the depths of winter on the remotest homesteads to dealing with uncooperative owners and critically ill animals, Herriot discovers the wondrous variety and never-ending challenges of veterinary practice as his humor, compassion, and love of the animal world shine forth.
James Herriot's memoirs have sold 80 million copies worldwide, and continue to delight and entertain readers of all ages
James Herriot is the pen name of James Alfred Wight, OBE, FRCVS also known as Alf Wight, an English veterinary surgeon and writer. Wight is best known for his semi-autobiographical stories, often referred to collectively as All Creatures Great and Small, a title used in some editions and in film and television adaptations.
In 1939, at the age of 23, he qualified as a veterinary...
- "于是我喊了海伦，开始我们的第二次试验。首先我们到山边的一处牛栏，一群年轻的牛已经被搁在那儿。杰克与罗比挤在牛阵中帮忙，艾先生脱下帽子把矮石栏顶上的灰尘打掉：“你的太太可以在这矮石栏上坐。” 我正要开始工作，听了这句话突然停止。我的太太！这是我平生第一次听到人们对我这样说着。我抬头瞧海伦，她已在那矮石栏上坐下来，交叉着两腿，一本笔记簿搁在她膝盖上，手里拿着铅笔等待记录。当她把前额的头发捋向后面时，她遇着了我的目光而不禁微笑了起来。我也回报她一个微笑，于是我突然被发觉英格兰谷地的荣光正围绕在我俩周围；也闻到了谷地里的苜蓿与暖草的芳香，那是比任何纯酒还要令人陶醉的！看起来似乎我这头两年在德禄镇的所有"
- "像这种时候，大自然早已准备好了最奇妙的兴奋剂，当母牛的舌头舔它的时候，小牛把身子弓起来，一分钟不到，它已经在摇头摆尾，并试着站起来了。 我笑了，这一幕是我所最爱的，这小小的奇迹！我觉得不管我看过多少次了，这一幕还是照旧感动我。"
- "“人们说，动物是没有灵魂的，因此它们死后不会到天堂里去。” “这是谁告诉你的？” “我在书报上看到的，而且我知道很多信教的人都这么相信的。” “我却不相信。”我轻拍她仍握住我的那只手，“如果你所谓有灵魂是指能够爱，能够表现忠贞，能够感念恩情……那么，在这一方面动物们要比大部分的人类强得多了！你又何必为这一点担心害怕呢？” “我希望你是对的。”她仍在摇头，“在夜里我常常想着这种事。” “我知道我讲的话不会错。这一点请你不必跟我争辩，因为我们做兽医的人，由动物身上得到有关于这一方面的教训实在太多了——动物们是比人更有灵魂的！” 她脸上的紧张神色松弛了，她原有的坚强精神在她的微笑里复活。她说：“很抱"
- "我以往曾经打开柜门站在那儿，默想着老医师正像我一样地探察着一些治疗上的难题，也像我一样地跑过那许多崎岖难行的狭路。60年来，他绝对单独地由他自己去从事种种艰苦的医疗工作，而我只不过才开始摸索而已。但是我已经尝到了胜利与失败、疑惑与忧愁、希望与失望以及各种难以形容的艰苦。如今老格兰已经撒手人寰，把他的技术与学识一股脑儿都带走，而我却正在坚持不懈地想学习这些技术与学识。"
- "我正要开始工作，听了这句话突然停止。我的太太！这是我平生第一次听到人们对我这样说着。我问头瞧海伦，她已在那矮石栏上坐下来，交叉着两腿，一本笔记簿搁在她膝盖上，手里拿着铅笔等待记录。当她把前额的头发掠向后面时，她遇着了我的目光而不禁微笑了起来。我也回报她一个微笑，于是我突然发觉英格兰谷地的荣光正围绕在我俩的周围；也闻到了谷地里的苜蓿与暖草的芳香，那是比任何纯酒还要令人陶醉的！看起来似乎我这头两年在德禄镇的所有辛劳都为着这美好的一刻。似乎我生命中跨越第一大步也就在海伦对我这么一笑里，以及我的新招牌挂在西格诊所门前的鲜明记忆里。这第一大步我是完整地跨过了！"
- "我慢慢开始了解这些农夫了，而我所了解到的，令我很喜欢。他们很倔强，他们也有一套我前所未知的人生哲学。同样的倒霉事，城里人可能会拿头去撞墙，而他们只不过耸耸肩，说：“这些事总是有的。”"
- "我慢慢开始了解这些农夫了，而我所了解到的，令我很喜欢。他们很倔强，他们也有一套我前所未知的人生哲学。同样的倒霉事，城里人可能会拿头去撞墙，而他们只不过耸耸肩，说：“这些事总是有的。”"
- "我又看着马儿，它又重新开始那盲目的转圈，跌跌撞撞的，沿着马房一圈又一圈的转，只盼望能把它的痛苦丢在身后。就在我看着它的时候，它把乱扭着的头抬了一下，小声地嘶叫了一声，这一声是如此的悲惨、无助、痛苦欲狂！够了！对我来说是太够了！ 我快步走出去，把枪从车里拿出来，对大块头说：“把它的头扶稳！”我把枪口对准了两眼之间，一声枪声，只见马腿歪了歪，“砰”地倒在地上，就此静静地躺在那儿。——第28页·爵爷的马"