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A review by bargainsleuth
The Wonderful World of James Herriot by James Herriot
5.0
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I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
James Herriot’s classic books of life as a Yorkshire vet have gained a new following with the popularity of the new television series. While the original stories are charming in their own right, The Wonderful World of James Herriot provides context and comparisons between the original texts and that of Alf Wight, the man behind the stories.
With an introduction by his children (and on audio, the intro is read by his daughter, Rosie), this new volume will be sure to delight fans of the original books. Many of the most popular stories (and ones depicted in the new series) are repeated here, but then the “real” story follows. For those not familiar, James Herriot was a construct of the author and some of the stories actually came from his son’s time as a vet as well as his own. Siegfried and Tristan existed in real life, but their real names were Donald and Brian. While some say Wight exaggerated the characteristics of people like Siegfried, while others say he toned down the personalities.
Nearly all the stories have some basis in the truth, much like Laura Ingalls Wilder books, yet they are considered fiction. And that’s what’s so great about this new compilation of stories. Side by side comparisons are made between the fiction of the story, and what really happened. If you’re wondering which book a particular story came from, it’s provided, although by using the original book names and not the names of the compilations released in the United States. I always wanted to research Wight’s real life and wondered which stories were true or not but never got around to it, so this volume was a welcome addition to the library.
If you love the television series as much as I do, be sure to check out this book on audio, as Nicholas Ralph and Anna Madeley provide the narration. It’s a great way to get for Americans to get their “fix” of stories until season 4 premieres on PBS on January 7, 2024.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
James Herriot’s classic books of life as a Yorkshire vet have gained a new following with the popularity of the new television series. While the original stories are charming in their own right, The Wonderful World of James Herriot provides context and comparisons between the original texts and that of Alf Wight, the man behind the stories.
With an introduction by his children (and on audio, the intro is read by his daughter, Rosie), this new volume will be sure to delight fans of the original books. Many of the most popular stories (and ones depicted in the new series) are repeated here, but then the “real” story follows. For those not familiar, James Herriot was a construct of the author and some of the stories actually came from his son’s time as a vet as well as his own. Siegfried and Tristan existed in real life, but their real names were Donald and Brian. While some say Wight exaggerated the characteristics of people like Siegfried, while others say he toned down the personalities.
Nearly all the stories have some basis in the truth, much like Laura Ingalls Wilder books, yet they are considered fiction. And that’s what’s so great about this new compilation of stories. Side by side comparisons are made between the fiction of the story, and what really happened. If you’re wondering which book a particular story came from, it’s provided, although by using the original book names and not the names of the compilations released in the United States. I always wanted to research Wight’s real life and wondered which stories were true or not but never got around to it, so this volume was a welcome addition to the library.
If you love the television series as much as I do, be sure to check out this book on audio, as Nicholas Ralph and Anna Madeley provide the narration. It’s a great way to get for Americans to get their “fix” of stories until season 4 premieres on PBS on January 7, 2024.