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Book Review of All Things Bright and Beautiful

All Things Bright and Beautiful
Kmarie avatar reviewed on + 529 more book reviews


Two years ago when we published James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small, we called it a "miracle between covers." In the first major review of the book, Alfred Ames said: "If there is any justice, All Creatures Great and Small will become a classic of its kind. The publishers call it a miracle--not too strong a word for a book that offers something for everyone: gusto, humor, pathos, information, romance, insight, style. It is vicarious living with one of the happiest and most admirable of people, a veterinary surgeon in the Yorkshire dales who can write superlatively well."

James, the miracle worker, has done it again. All Things Bright and Beautiful is precisely the warm and joyful sequel that readers all over America have been asking for. James is now married, and he and Helen live on the top floor of Skeldale House, while his former boss, now partner, Siegfried lives downstairs with Siegfried's brother Tristan. James continues the rich and rewarding day-to-day life of a small-town veterinarian, and we journey with him across the dales meeting a whole new cast of unforgettable characters--humans, dogs, horses, lambs, parakeets--all of them drawn with the same infinite fascination, affection, and insight that have made Herriot one of the most beloved authors of our time. This is the most loving book of the year to have--or to give.