Sunday, January 31, 2010

All Creatures Great and Small

Hey people,

Gracious it has been a long time since I posted, I apologise for my absence. The book I read this time was All Creatures Great and Small, By James Herriot. It is the true story of a country vet named James Herriot who went to school in the city and then was sent to the Yorkshire Dales to practice his profession. Things are a little bit rough for James at first but he soon falls in love with His partner Siegfried Farnon, Siegfried's crazy brother Tristan, the simple people of the Dales, and the beautiful country around him. It is the story of the troubles that a country vet goes through told in a humorous and entirely relateable fashion. Walking through life in the mind of James, hearing every thought and working through every problem is laugh out loud hysterical. You could call it a documentary, but I prefer to think of it as the life of a poor vet who just can't win. You really have to read them to understand. It is a 4 book series starting with All Creatures Great and Small, then All Things Bright and Beautiful, All things Wise and Wonderful, and finishes with The Lord God Made them All. I just have to say I love them! I don't really like reading about animals, and I don't generally care for documentary type things, but these are different! He is so simple in the way he puts things, I guess you can say he speaks right to the heart of the average Joe. The countryside where he is sounds so beautiful, it makes me want to go to the Dales. Hopefully by know you have all gathered that I highly recommend these books, so please read them and let me know what you think! James Herriot has also written Children's Treasuries which are very good as well, but go for the real thing.
Thanks for listening and happy reading!
$ The Artful Dodge $
5/5 Recommended

30 comments:

  1. Wow! Sounds good! Thanks for the post!

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  2. Excellent! I have not read the whole thing, but I have read a couple excerpts, and they are delightful. I LOVE animals, so these speak to my heart.

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  3. Oh definitely, I looove animals too, especially dogs, so they speak to my heart as well =) Thanks for the post!

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  4. I still haven't read these, but my sister told me that I had to read them! I will eventually.

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  5. Nice photo, Cambria. I love Shakespeare!

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  6. Has anyone on this blog ever played in a Shakespeare play? I think that I did in the book that I am the main character of but I am not sure....

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  7. Oh and what are all of your favorite speeches in his plays?

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  8. I have!!! There are too many amazing speeches to just pick one favorite!

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  9. I have been in a Shakespeare play! It was the most amazing show experience ever. And I was also in two Shakespeare library readings. Anyway, my favorite speech? That's tough, but probably one from Henry V, Julius Caesar, or Romeo and Juliet. Or Richard III! You are right, Cambria, there are too many too chose from!

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  10. What book are you form Lady Edith? Your name rigs a bell. For some reason a Louisa May Alcott book seems right.

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  11. I had to read Romeo and Juliet last semester for English. I was wierd.

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  12. It, sorry. I am probably wierd too, but that's beside the point.

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  13. Hahaha! Why did you think it was weird? I mean, I am not disagreeing, but I am curious. I actually loved Romeo and Juliet, but perhaps that is because I am a girl.

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  14. It was almost contradictory, because they were all so concerned about propriety, and yet were rather savage (for lack of a better term) because of an old fued that no one could remember the beginning of.

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  15. That is an interesting perspective. I haven't ever thought about it like that before.
    Even though you do not like reading in general, it is a very good thing that you at least tried to establish an opinion of the book you were forced to read. Most people who, when reading a disagreeable book for school, just rush through it without even trying to pay attention to what is going on. I think it is good to get what you can out of a book, however horrid you think it might be. So yeah, it was good you did that.
    Anyway, I loved Romeo and Juliet because of the tragedy. I love Shakespearean tragedies. Having said that though, I think the story is almost comical, honestly. If you think about it, it is extremely ridiculous the way Romeo talks to Juliet under the circumstances (having only seen her once, and not knowing anything about her except that she's good looking, etc.)
    Hm. I don't know. All I know is that I enjoyed reading it very much!

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  16. If you really think about it Shakespear is always very humorous, even the tragedies. All the characters always have such different personalities that when they rub against each other it involuntarily creates humor... at least it does in my oppinion. Forgive me if I spelt anything wrong.

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  17. To our new friend Josh, welcome to the club. I would encourage you to continue to read Shakespear, especially the tragedies they're my fav.

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  18. Yes, definitely! Shakespeare is awesome.

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  19. Yes Dodge, I am from a Louisa May Alcott book! She wrote it when she was seventeen! It's called The Inheritance! A great book if a bit idealistic!!! But I think I liked it because of that!
    Lady Edith

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  20. I think we should have a discussion on Romeo and Juliet! How long does everyone who hasn't read it need to read it? I will set a date based on that.

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  21. I cannot believe I am saying this to you, but that is a good idea.

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  22. That sounds great Lord Anthony. May I ask for the discussion to be no earlier than the beginning of March. It will not take me too long to read it. It is just that I have reading to do for school and I need some time to fit it in.
    ~Rosie Cotton

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  23. Sounds good. How about Saturday, March 6th?

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  24. That's good for me Lord Anthony.
    ~Rosie Cotton

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  25. I am afraid I have never been on this blog, but I like it immensely already! I am afraid that the love-hate relationship between Lady Arwen Evanstar and Lord Anthony Dewhurst, may be slightly too difficult for me to keep up to date with, but I wish thou every happiness whatever happens with your relationship.

    This sounds like a very inspiring book Dodger, dear.

    I bid thee all farewell.

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  26. I am kindof buisy right now so I have no idea if I will be able to read Romeo and Juliet, but I would love to read the discussion. To Lady Edith: I thought you were from The Inheritance but I wished not to make a mistake. I reread that a couple of months ago, I enjoyed it, but I thought it was not the best thing I had ever read by her.

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  27. *is amused by how off-topic most of the comments are*

    I think I read all four of Herriot's books. I really liked them because of the humor and candor and all the magnificent characters, but the language and occasional crudeness bothered me so that I had to stop reading them. And I was disappointed when Daddy told me that they really weren't autobiographical because the author made most of the stuff up and he even changed the names.

    *has only read Shakespeare's comedies*

    Nice blog!

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