James Herriot's Cat Stories

It’s just a wonderful lite read. To read again. The illustrations are a treasure. Little did I no done by a very famous artist. They are just delightful. Cup of tea please

This is a book to read one small story at a time and savor every feeling contained therein. Herriot slows us down and brings us a perspective on the basics in life. His connection to not only the cats, but to the people in his stories shows an amazing balance of love, medicine, and understanding. He is able to let each creature and each person be fully who they are. He reminds us of the meaning of community. A book for cat lovers, for animal lovers, and for anyone who wants to re-center (even if only momentarily) on the simple but important things in life.

As with all of Mr. Herriots books this surpassed any expectation I could have. His breezy writing style and the fine watercolors made the stories into a moving slide show. Ten Cat tales that most animal lovers will devour. How many of us can relate to Ginny and Olly? The two feisty ferals who refused to accept an indoor life. Have'nt we all at some point in our cat loving lives known an Emily? The story of Buster hit home for me the most. My Calico Noel arrived on my doorstep on Christmas day, like Buster. For ten years she was the love of my life. These stories will make the reader sigh, for those we have lost, and smile for the feline loved ones we still have.

I have read his All Creatures Great and Small series and his Dog Stories collection and enjoyed all of them thoroughly. Cat Stories doesn't disappoint. Besides his delightful writing style, the book is illustrated with lovely water colors that bring the stories to life. The stories of Ginny and Olly remind me of feral kittens who grew up in my backyard. They just adopted us. We eventually befriended all but one and found homes for them. Then there's the story of Oscar. We had another cat adopt us whom we called Brick because of his brickish colored fur and that he was as strong as a brick. He was a cat about town but always seemed to come home to us after his walk about the neighborhood.

James Herriot's Cat Stories is a one of a kind book. It is full of wonderful stories, and will be very much enjoyed by anyone interested in cats. It surpassed my expectations as a great book, and I think anyone who has read it would agree.