James Herriot

James Herriot is the pen name of James Alfred Wight, a British veterinary surgeon and writer born on February 1916. Wight adopted the pseudonym "James Herriot" to write about his experiences as a vet, as the veterinary community frowned upon professionals advertising their practices through writing. He is best known for his book "All Creatures Great and Small" and its follow-ups.

Wight's writing career only began in earnest in 1966, when he was challenged by his wife to start writing. This was a significant change, as he had spent most of his time consumed by his work and family. In 1969, he wrote "If Only They Could Talk," the first of the now-famous series based on his life working as a vet and his training in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. His books, often referred to collectively as "All Creatures Great and Small," have been adapted into numerous films and a successful television series.

Wight's books are set in the town of Darrowby, which he based on the towns of Thirsk and Sowerby in Yorkshire, where he worked. He renamed people and places in his stories, such as Donald Sinclair and his brother Brian Sinclair, who became Siegfried and Tristan Farnon in his books. While many of his stories are based on real events or people, they are primarily fiction.

The Herriot books are often described as "animal stories," but animals play a lesser role in many of his tales. Instead, the overall theme of his stories is Yorkshire country life, with its people and their animals providing the distinct character. Wight's shrewd observations of persons, animals, and their close inter-relationship give his writing much of its savour. He was just as interested in the owners as he was in his patients, and his writing is a keen comment on the human condition.

Wight's stories of resolute grappling with mysterious bacterial foes or severe injuries have an almost heroic quality, giving the reader a sense of assurance and hope. His abundant humour about himself and his difficulties, and his willingness to learn about animal doctoring and human nature, have endeared him to generations of readers.