James Herriot Books in Order

James Herriot was born in 1916 in Sunderland, County Durham. He was a British veterinary surgeon whose career in the field prepared him for a literary career. He narrated many stories about animals and their owners.

Herriot, who attended Hillhead High School, had an early interest in football. He began his career as a veterinarian at the age of 23. He graduated from Glasgow Veterinary College in 1939 with a degree in veterinary medicine.

James Herriot began his career in Sunderland but relocated to a rural location near Thirsk, where he remained for the rest of his life. Joan Catherine Anderson Danbury and James Herriot married in 1941. Joan, his wife, was the one who finally persuaded him to pursue his dream of writing. Despite his passion, Herriot’s early attempts at writing were greeted with criticism, in part because his stories focused on football. James Herriot didn’t achieve success until he focused on what he knew best: animals.

Even though his writings are referred to as animal stories, they play a small role. The plots focus primarily on the people of Yorkshire country and their lives. The focus Herriot puts on the interaction between species gives his work a distinct flavor. The author is recognized for delivering sharp and humorous remarks about this interplay.

James Herriot Books in order 

All Creatures Great and Small

1. If Only They Could Talk (1970)
2. All Creatures Great and Small (1972)
3. It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet (1972)
4. Let Sleeping Vets Lie (1973)
5. Vet in Harness (1974)
6. All Things Bright and Beautiful (1974)
7. Vets Might Fly (1976)
8. All Things Wise and Wonderful (1976)
9. The Lord God Made Them All (1981)
10. Vet in a Spin (1984)

Smudge

1. Smudge, The Little Lost Lamb (1991)
2. Smudge’s Day Out (1991)

Short Story

1. The Best of James Herriot (1983)
2. Horse & Pony Stories (1986)

Picture

1. Bonny’s Big Day (1972)
2. Moses the Kitten (1984)
3. Only One Woof (1985)
4. The Christmas Day Kitten (1986)
5. Blossom Comes Home (1988)
6. The Market Square Dog (1989)
7. Oscar, Cat-About-Town (1990)
8. The Animals at Diamond Woods (2009)

Standalone Novel Non-fiction

1. James Herriot’s Yorkshire (1979)
2. All Creatures Great and Small Annual 1982 (1981)
3. James Herriot’s Favorite Dog Stories (1986)
4. James Herriot’s Dog Stories (1986)
5. Greatest Cat Stories (1989)
6. James Herriot Story Book (1992)
7. Every Living Thing (1992)
8. James Herriot’s Treasury for Children (1992)
9. James Herriot’s Cat Stories (1994)
10. Seven Yorkshire tales (1994)
11. James Herriot’s Yorkshire Stories (1995)
12. James Herriot’s Yorkshire Village (1995)
13. James Herriot’s Yorkshire Revisited (1999)

Similar authors

• Graham Lord’s James Herriot: The Life of a Country Vet. It is a detailed account of the life of the world’s most beloved animal writers.
• A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus follows the story of three orphaned siblings. They hope the evacuation during the war in London will be their chance at a home.

See also: Mary Alice Monroe Books in Order.

Most recommended books of the series

1. James Herriot’s Dog Stories (4.42 Goodreads score)
2. The Lord God Made Them All (All Creatures #7) (4.41 Goodreads score)
3. All Things Wise and Wonderful (4.41 Goodreads score)
4. Only One Woof (4.37 Goodreads score)
5. Vet in Harness (4.37 Goodreads score)

Awards

James won the Audie Award for Literary Fiction & Classics.

Movies based on his books

The works of James Herriot were turned into a film titled ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ in 1975, as well as a long-running BBC television series by the same name. In 2010, the BBC produced a three-part drama called “Young James Herriot,” which used case notes and diaries to tell the writer’s story.

Latest releases

Every Living Thing is the fifth and final book in Herriot’s trilogy, concentrating on Herriot’s return to Darrowby. It shows his growing children and his characteristic meetings with local folk and animal owners.

Book summaries

If Only They Could Talk (1970)

When the newly qualified vet, James Herriot, arrives in the small Yorkshire village of Darrowby, he has no idea of the new friends he will meet or the adventures that lie ahead.

All Creatures Great and Small (1972)

In the rolling dales of Yorkshire, a simple, rural region of northern England, a young veterinarian from Sunderland joins a new practice. A stranger in a strange land, he must quickly learn the odd dialect and humorous ways of the locals, master outdated equipment, and do his best to mend, treat, and heal pets and livestock alike. This witty and heartwarming collection, based on the author’s own experiences, became an international success, spawning sequels and winning over animal lovers everywhere. Perhaps better than any other writer, James Herriot reveals the ties that bind us to the creatures in our lives.

It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet (1972)

It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet sees recently qualified vet James Herriot firmly ensconced in the sleepy Yorkshire village of Darrowby, and acclimatized to life with his unpredictable colleagues, brothers Siegfried and Tristan Farnon. But veterinary practice in the 1930s was never going to be easy, and there are challenges on the horizon, from persuading his clients to let him use his ‘modern’ equipment, to becoming an uncle to a pig called Nugent. Throw in his first encounters with Helen, the beautiful daughter of a local farmer, and this year looks to be as eventful as the las

Let Sleeping Vets Lie (1973)

With two years experience behind him, James Herriot still feels privileged working on the beautiful Yorkshire moors as assistant vet at the Darrowby practice. Time to meet yet more unwilling patients and a rich cast of supporting owners.

Vet in Harness (1974)

The Yorkshire dales have never seemed more beautiful for James – now he has a lovely wife by his side, a partner`s plate on the gate and the usual menagerie of farm animals, pets and owners demanding his constant attention and teaching him a few lessons along the way.All of the old Darrowby friends are on top form – Siegfried thashes round the practice, Tristan occasionally buckles down for finals and James is signed up for a local cricket team.

All Things Bright and Beautiful (1974)

All Things Bright and Beautiful: After his first day on the job, Herriot’s mentor warns him that the life of a country veterinarian is full of small triumphs and big disasters, but that he’d never be bored. From night visits to drafty barns during freezing Northern England winters to the beautiful vitality of rural life in the summertime to the colorful menagerie of animals—and their owners—that pass through his office, Herriot experiences new challenges and joys every day. In these pages, Herriot trains under his eccentric boss in a rustic English village, courts the woman that becomes his wife, and meets the people he would come to write about for a lifetime.

Vets Might Fly (1976)

A few months of married bliss, a lovers` nest in Darrowby and the wonders of home cooking are rudely interrupted for James Herriot by the Second World War. James Herriot`s fifth volume of memoirs relocates him to a training camp somewhere in England. And in between square pounding and digging for victory, he dreams of the people and livestock he left behind him.

All Things Wise and Wonderful (1976)

Only a couple of years after settling into his new home in northern England, James Herriot is called to war. In this series of poignant and humorous episodes, the great veterinarian shares his experiences training with the Royal Air Force, pining for a pregnant wife, and checking in on the people back home who made his practice so fascinating. As the young men of Yorkshire are sent into battle and farmers consider the broader world they’re a part of, Herriot reflects on the lives—human and animal alike—that make his home worth fighting for.

The Lord God Made Them All (1981)

Times–bestselling author of All Creatures Great and Small. When World War II ends and James Herriot returns to his wife and new family in the English countryside, he dreams mostly of Sunday roasts and Yorkshire puddings, but new adventure has a way of tracking him down. Soon Herriot finds himself escorting a large number of sheep on a steamer to Russia, puzzling through the trials of fatherhood, and finding creative ways to earn the trust of suspicious neighbors who rely on him for the wellbeing of their beloved animals. Herriot’s winning humor and self-deprecating humanity shine through every page, and his remarkable storytelling has captivated readers for generations.

Vet in a Spin (1984)

James Herriot, strapped into the cockpit of a Tiger Moth trainer, feels rather out of place, but he hasn`t found a new profession and it surely won`t be long before the RAF come round to his point of view…James Herriot`s sixth volume of unforgettable memoirs sees him dreaming of the day when he can rejoin his wife Helen, little son Jimmy, veterinary partner Siegfried, the eternal student Tristan – and all the old Darrowby crows, both two-legged and four.`He can tell a good story against himself, and his pleasure in the beauty of the countryside in which he works is infectious` The Daily Telegraph`Full of warmth, wisdom and wit` The Field `It is a pleasure to be in James Herriot`s company` Observer

Smudge, The Little Lost Lamb (1991)

Smudge is an adorable black-and-white lamb, who lives in Farmer Cobb’s farmyard with his mother and many other animals. One fine spring day, though, Smudge decides to see the world outside Farmer Cobb’s fence, and finds himself on a glorious adventure-until he discovers that he can’t get back in .

Smudge’s Day Out (1991)

Smudge is an adventurous Swaledale lamb who thinks the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Escaping under the wire, he then has a series of encounters – with a dog, a bull, a coach and finally a spring blizzard. The author also wrote “All Creatures Great and Small”.

The Best of James Herriot (1983)

The Best of James Herriot is one of the most extraordinary volumes ever devoted to the work and world of a contemporary writer. Within its covers are unforgettable episodes from the remarkable series of memoirs that began with All Creatures Great and Small-“the ones my family and I have laughed at over the years and the ones my readers have said they most enjoyed,” as Herriot, himself, put it. Yet the book is far more than a simple anthology: Its gorgeous pages also include hundreds of line drawings and color photographs, capturing Herriot’s Yorkshire in a worthy complement to the writer’s words.

Horse & Pony Stories (1986)

Horse and Pony Stories

Bonny’s Big Day (1972)

Farmer Skipton is persuaded to enter his old carthorse, Bonny, in the Darrowby Pet Show.

Moses the Kitten (1984)

The storytelling magic of James Herriot has become a warm, joyful part of our children’s lives. In Moses the Kitten, Herriot tells the tale of a tiny, bedraggled kitty found tucked beside a frozen pond, who is nursed back to health on a nearby farm.

Only One Woof (1985)

Gyp, a cheerful but always silent sheep dog, startles everyone with uncharacteristic behavior during the championship sheep dog trials.

The Christmas Day Kitten (1986)

The famous veterinarian/writer shares the true story of how an independent-minded stray cat gives a woman and her three Basset hounds a Christmas present.

Blossom Comes Home (1988)

“I’m right sorry to see her go,” said Farmed Dakin to James Herriot, his vet. “She’s stood in that stall for twelve years and given me thousands of gallons of milk.”But Blossom the cow was too old now for milking, and the farmer needed to make room for a younger animal. So, sadly, he was sending blossom to market. At least, that’s what he and the vet thought. But as James Herriot continued on his rounds to Mrs. Pickering and her Basset hounds, he was about to find that Blossom has a surprise in store…

The Market Square Dog (1989)

The storytelling magic of James Herriot has become a warm, joyful part of our children’s lives. The Market Square Dog is his tale of a friendly stray dog who comes to beg in the Darrowby village square-and goes without a home until the local policeman saves the day.

Oscar, Cat-About-Town (1990)

Oscar is a good-natured stray cat, left by a little girl with the Herriots to be nursed back to health. the country veterinarian and his wife take him into their home, and soon he has become part of their family. But before too long, Oscar starts setting off on his own–running away, only to turn up in the funniest places.

The Animals at Diamond Woods (2009)

In the countryside of Oregon is a beautiful golf course called Diamond Woods. A family owns the golf course and work together to keep things running smoothly. Up the hill behind the golf course live farm animals and woods animals, and things aren’t going so smoothly. The farm animals have names, but the woods animals don’t. All the animals are very different. But when farm animals venture into the woods, they sometimes never come back. “The farm animals are real, with their observed personalities and behaviors integrated into the story. Very creative. A delightful read.” – Tim C. Leedom – Author, editor and film-writer, Manoa Valley Publishing Illustrated by the illustrator for the grandson of the author of the Wizard of Oz.

James Herriot’s Yorkshire (1979)

Here is James Herriot’s best-selling personal tour through the beautiful, almost magical land of All Creatures Great and Small and his new volume of memoirs, Every Living Thing. The gorgeous northern English countryside, depicted so memorably in James Herriot’s internationally adored books, jumps to life here in more than two hundred full-color photographs that reveal the dales, the snowy hills, the becks and towns and farms in all their glory. Accompanying all this is a warmhearted text by the beloved veterinarian himself, who leads you through the countryside that he has made his own. And as you enjoy this book, he will make it yours as well..

All Creatures Great and Small Annual 1982 (1981)

Delve into the magical, unforgettable world of James Herriot, the world’s most beloved veterinarian, and his menagerie of heartwarming, funny, and tragic animal patients.For over forty years, generations of readers have thrilled to Herriot’s marvelous tales, deep love of life, and extraordinary storytelling abilities. For decades, Herriot roamed the remote, beautiful Yorkshire Dales, treating every patient that came his way from smallest to largest, and observing animals and humans alike with his keen, loving eye.

James Herriot’s Favorite Dog Stories (1986)

James Herriot would go on to become so much more than a dog doctor. But no animal was dearer to his heart, and no animal provided him with more heartwarming and wonderful tales. With over a million copies sold, James Herriot’s Favorite Dog Stories has inspired dog lovers the world over. After being out of print for many years, it is now again available in an affordable, beautifully repackaged hardcover edition, filled with original watercolors that illustrate Herriot’s charming and wholesome tales.This classic heartwarming collection of ten stories about dogs – from border collies and sheepdogs to the exploits of Tricki Woo, the unforgettable Pekinese – by the late author of All Creatures Great and Small is prefaced by a moving introduction from Herriot himself – the very last piece of writing the beloved author ever completed. So, follow the master veterinarian as he journeys through Yorkshire, caring for big dogs and small with his characteristic gentleness and peace, profound observation, and deep, loving humor.

James Herriot’s Dog Stories (1986)

This enchanting program collects some of the Yorkshire vet’s favorite stories about one of his favorite animals, each tale as memorable and heartwarming as the last. Christopher Timothy, the star of television’s All Creatures Great and Small, and acknowledged “voice” of Dr. Herriot, lovingly narrates this new collection of the good doctor’s canine encounters.

Greatest Cat Stories (1989)

A cat lover’s collection of stories with happy endings (from the cat’s perspective,) highlights cats at the peak of feline frivolity with works by such authors as Jane Beeson, Rudyard Kipling, and Elisabeth Beresfor.

James Herriot Story Book (1992)

When you enter the world of James Herriot’s Animal Stories, you’ll share his wonder and humor, his adventures and misadventures as he contends with pet owners and landowners; rough-spoken farmers and soft-spoken gentry; orphaned lambs, litters of piglets and puppies, cattle and draught horses; and a miscellany of cats and dogs including, of course, Mrs. Pumphrey’s inimitable Pekinese, Tricki Woo.

Every Living Thing (1992)

As an aging James Herriot begins to see more house pets than livestock, the challenge of treating animals—and reassuring their owners—provides plenty of excitement, mystery, and moments of sheer delight. After building up his own practice, the renowned country vet begins to teach a new generation about a business both old-fashioned and very modern. He watches with pride as his own children show a knack for medicine, and remarks on the talents and quirks of a string of assistants. There is no perfecting the craft, since people and their animals are all remarkably different, but Herriot proves that the best healers are also the most compassionate.

James Herriot’s Treasury for Children (1992)

James Herriot’s Treasury for Children collects all of the beloved veterinarian’s delightful tales for young readers. From the springtime frolic of Oscar, Cat-About-Town to the yuletide warmth of The Christmas Day Kitten, these stories-radiantly illustrated by Peter Barrett and Ruth Brown-are perennial favorites, and this new complete edition will make a wonderful gift for all readers, great and small

James Herriot’s Cat Stories (1994)

Kittens and cats of all kinds abound in this program and, like their flesh-and-blood counterparts, they will purr their way into the hearts and minds of everyone who hears their stories. This warm and joyful volume of stories collects some of the Yorkshire vet’s favorite tales about one of his favorite animals – each memoir as memorable and heartwarming as the last.

Seven Yorkshire tales (1994)

This illustrated book contains ten stories taken from the books of the world-famous vet who lived and worked in North Yorkshire for over 50 years.

James Herriot’s Yorkshire Stories (1995)

Takes readers on a delightful walking tour of the land he brought to life in his memoirs. Glorious color photography is supplemented by Herriot’s own irresistable descriptions.

James Herriot’s Yorkshire Village (1995)

Describes the rolling dales of the countryside as well as the characters, shops, and storefronts of this quaint village of northern England.

James Herriot’s Yorkshire Revisited (1999)

James Herriot lived and worked in North Yorkshire, England, for over fifty years, first and foremost as a vet, but in his later years as one of the world’s most successful authors. Twenty years ago, the bestselling book, James Herriot’s Yorkshire combined hundreds of color photos with a moving essay highlighting the places he loved so much – from the lush valley meadows in the springtime to the remote villages during the depths of winter. Now, two decades later, the Herriot estate has authorized the creation of a new book on Yorkshire that matches the original in both charm and grace. Complete with an introduction by James Herriot’s son, Jim Wight, James Herriot’s Yorkshire Revisited brings together never-before-seen photos with evocative excerpts from Herriot’s eight major works.