About this time last year, I was out of things to read–a mournful and derelict feeling for a book addict like me. I was moping around my office disconsolately and asked my Dad what he would recommend to read. He went over to the office shelf and pulled out All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot. At first I was skeptical. A book about a vet? I won’t be interested in that, I thought to myself. But Dad insisted it was a good read, and I being desperate for a read, took it off the shelf.

Almost immediately I was taken in. Herriot’s simple prose in which he tells his story is compelling and entertaining. His insertion of humor is wonderful. It feels like you are sitting with someone listening to their stories. The organization of the story is anecdotal, so the story line is not continuous, but this adds to the overall effect of familiarity the story presents.

Overall, I would recommend Herriot’s work to anyone–even if they are as skeptical on the subject matter as I was. His work serves to remind us all that sometimes the extraordinary can be found in simplicity.