James Herriot

the long version

With James Herriot, Mitzi Brunsdale contributes the first full-length literary study of this beloved writer. Arguing that central to Herriot's writing is the morality underlying his seemingly simple tales, the book combines a lively writing style with a balanced critical appraisal to evaluate the writer's life and works. Organizing her material in 10 chapters, Brunsdale first presents an engaging biographical portrait of her subject and then discusses each of the works by category - Herriot's principal autobiographical collections, his series of children's books, the travel volume James Herriot's Yorkshire, and the films and tapes. Punctuating the analyses are telling, often wry comments gleaned from Herriot's interviews and observations from various critics and other contemporaries. "My books are a restatement of old values: hard work and integrity," James Herriot often remarked. In this study readers will come to appreciate the importance of that sentiment to all Herriot's efforts and, along the way, will be thoroughly entertained and informed. An excellent companion to courses in popular culture, James Herriot holds irresistible appeal for students, librarians, and general readers.