The Real James Herriot: A Memoir of My Father

No one is better poised to write the biography of James Herriot than the son who worked alongside him in the Yorkshire veterinary practice when Herriot became an internationally bestselling author. Now, in this warm and poignant biography, Jim Wight ventures beyond his father’s life as a veterinarian to reveal the man behind the stories–the private individual who refused to allow fame and wealth to interfere with his practice or his family. With access to all of his father’s papers, correspondence, manuscripts, and photographs–and intimate recollections of the farmers, locals, and friends who populate the James Herriot books–only Jim Wight could write this definitive biography of the man who was not only his father but his best friend. ‘Inspiring and heartwarming . . . A fascinating look at the man behind the bestselling books that touched so many lives.’ –JACK CANFIELD Author of Chicken Soup for the Soul ‘Detailed and thorough . . . The real-life models for the colorful characters and incidents in the Herriot books are lovingly explained throughout, making the book feel like an earnest ‘making of’ documentary.’ –The New York Times Book Review