Books and Authors

Today’s daily prompt on Bloganuary 2023 is: Who is your favorite author and why?

I enjoy reading as reading leads to learning. Learning helps me to be a better sheep farmer. While I do not always read non-fiction books, one series of books has been an influence in my life. While in middle school I read James Herriot, ‘All Creatures Great and Small’. The experiences of a country vet. My desire was to become a veternarian, so reading about the experiences of a country veterinarian would give me insight to my chosen career.

The stories were quite humorous. Some of the characters and the special treatment of their pets seemed outlandish and unreal so I thought. Right after I graduated from high school, I went to work for a veterinarian as an assistant. Then the stories were not outlandish or unreal, but very true.

Any person wanting to become a sheep farmer, or cattle rancher or perhaps looking at having a career as a veterinarian, reading James Herriot’s books are a necessity.

I recently learned that James Herriot’s books were published under different titles depending on location of publishing. In the UK, the first two books ‘If Only They Could Talk’ and ‘It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet’ were combined into one book in the USA, ‘All Creatures Great and Small’. And so it was with the others, the USA combined two of the UK published books into one book. With the advancement of the internet, regardless of where you live, you are able to order the UK or USA published books.

I think I might revisit these old friends and share a laugh as a sheep farmer and veterinarian can only know.

Granny