James Herriot: The Life of a Country Vet

James Herriot's stories about a country vet in the 1930's and 1940's present a warm, fascinating set of yarns about a bygone time. The Herriot reader intuitively understands that the real story is not the literal set of cures and pet names listed in the stories, but instead, a Yorkshire culture that was swiftly passing before what then was considered modernity. The Herriot universe is peopled with charming farmers, the whimsical and amusing fellow vets, the Farnon brothers, and a world of amusing coincidences among the vet cases assigned to Mr. Herriot. In his biography, Graham Lord sets out to show the real vet behind the novelist. In so doing, he portrays a fellow who was, as in the books, a rather shy, quiet, likable man. Some Herriot loyalists in some instances may be alarmed to discover that Mr. Herriot's real life was not as idyllic as the books, and that the books contained a fair bit of fiction. On the whole, though, the reader will understand and appreciate that the Herriot stories are not bounded by inquiries such as "was Siegfriend Farnon really as charming as the character in the books?" or "was the real-life Helen a bit more domineering than the one in the books?". Graham Lord's bio is a straightforward read, which,while largely sympathetic, spends a fair bit of time trying to show that some of the Herriotverse was mythic. The style of the writing is clear and easy. The format of the bio is fairly conventional, though we are in the main spared the sort of speculation about the inner philosophies of grandparents that mar some literary bios. The bio is reasonably short of hyperbole. The real puzzle of the Herriot life is how this natural storyteller developed his craft and evolved such a fully-formed fictive universe. The Lord bio devotes some attention to this issue, but not nearly enough. Instead we are left with anecdotes suggesting that the Herriot novels are only fifty percent fact. This is really beside the point,much as it is irrelevant whether a historical Sir John Falstaff was really a buffoon. I recommend this bio, as it shows a life quietly but in the main well lived, and a writer who developed fascinating material from a creative imagination and a colorful perspective on the everyday.

This story has many lessons, and if one bears with it, it is deeply moving. One lesson is the pathos of Alf Wight's - "James Herriot's" - final years, when, in failing health, he was plagued by hordes of readers who were determined to write or to visit him, without a moment's introspection or a trace of imagination that could have led to their leaving him alone out of the realization of the far greater importance of his personal privacy under the assault of such massive fame. Another lesson lies in the condemnation of the absorption of modern writers in what is tawdry, sordid, and lacking in the virtue that exalts us as human beings. This criticism is implicit in the immense popularity of books that were so very different in their ethos and in the criticisms gently and indirectly, but unmistakably, expressed by Wight himself of what is now the standard in literature and of course in the crass industry of mass entertainment. A further lesson is the humility and essential goodness of this man's life, and in the celebration of the world he knew and remained a part of, which in its earlier simplicity, authentic individuality, and rural vibrancy can neither be transcended nor equalled by ours. Indeed, because Graham Lord's story is a literal one, rather than the symbolic half-fiction of the Herriot books themselves, it is more able to teach these lessons that resided in the actual story of the man himself. For those who hallow the Herriot tetralogy, I recommend this biography as a poignant enlargement of what they already know. - Patrick GunkelWoods Hole, Massachusetts

I find this book to be an objective and affectionate treatment, in line with the biographer's job to report events in a subject's life that shed light on his art and point of view. In describing Herriot's impoverished childhood in crowded city tenements, Lord plausibly explains the vet's infatuation with the Yorkshire Dales. If Lord's depiction of Herriot's wife as a controlling and sometimes difficult woman is jarring, it is in line with Herriot's real life persona of an accomodating and sensitive man who tries to placate people and smooth out tough situations. If the book drags a bit, that is because there are no high drama or scandals. The most interesting parts to me are Lord's descriptions of Herriot's writing style, handling of fame and wealth, and complex relationship with his boss Donald Sinclair. Since these parts come in the second half of the book, don't stop reading halfway through! While Lord does not say that Herriot's family objected to his writing this biography, there does seem to be an overabundance of interview material derived from individuals outside of the family, and almost none from within. But I don't see where this is due to an abusive or irresponsible treatment of Herriot's life. Herriot is in no way 'trashed'. The most delightful thing I walk away with from this book is how close the real life Herriot was to the fictional.

Having met Mr. Wight more than once, this bio is honest, candid,and full of well researched material with plenty of interviews in my opinion. Written by a man who knew alf from a reviewer's standpoint, he dispassionately reviews both his writing and what made him tick.Joan, Alf's wife, comes off as the woman that I've heard most Thirsk residents describe.Not always an easy woman, but the one that Alf married and loved-not his first and great love, but a lifetime love. Surprising facts like Alf's salary never going above 20 pounds per week make one wonder why he didn't quit working for Donald Sinclair early on. Until his literary success, Alf was always in debt.He always treated his book paychecks as something that would disappear any moment,never living with any degree of ostentation. Joan's dislike of travel and leaving Yorkshire probably contributed to that. Any James Herriot fan will find this book a must-read and a must buy! He really was a gentle soul who occasionally suffered from bouts of depression but this book is anything but depressing.