How To Read James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small Books In Order

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Masterpiece PBS's All Creatures Great and Small, aka perhaps the most wholesome and comforting show on television, will be back soon for its third season. The series follows the adventures of a young veterinarian, James Herriot, who moves to the north of England (the stunning Yorkshire Dales, to be specific) during the 1930s.

As most fans already know, the show is based on a series of equally beloved novels by Herriot, whose real name is James Alfred Wight, and who wrote the books based on his own experiences as a young veterinary surgeon. So if you just can't get enough of the rich, uplifting world of Herriot and the animals he cares for, here's how to read the original books in order.

All Creatures Great and Small

First published in 1972, the first installment in the series picks up with a young James Herriot, fresh out of veterinary school during the Great Depression and searching desperately for a job. He finally accepts a position as an assistant vet at a rural practice in the sleepy Yorkshire village of Darrowby, and is thrown in at the deep end treating pets and farm animals.

This book was originally published in the UK as two separate novels—If Only They Could Talk (1970) and It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet (1972)—and was later combined into one.

All Things Bright and Beautiful

The second book in the series finds Herriot settled into life in Darrowby, and now married to his wife Helen. His former boss, Siegfried Farnon, is now his business partner, and Herriot is more established as a vet in the area. The book chronicles Herriot's journeys across the dales to treat a slew of new animal—from dogs to lambs to parakeets—and share sometimes comedic, sometimes moving interactions with their owners.

This book was originally published as two novels in the UK: Let Sleeping Vets Lie (1973) and Vet in Harness (1974).

All Things Wise and Wonderful

The third installment in the series finds our hero in a wildly different setting, as he begins his military service in Britain's Royal Air Force. All Things Wise and Wonderful follows him through the rigors of basic training, and the heartache of being away from his wife Helen. The story includes more recollections from Herriot's time as a country vet, as well as from his time in the RAF.

This story combines two novels previously published in the UK— Vets Might Fly (1976) and Vet in a Spin (1977).

The Lord God Made Them All

In this fourth book, Herriot and his wife have welcomed two young children, Jim and Rosie. In addition to chronicling his new life as a father, Herriot also recounts his professional trips to Russia and Istanbul during the 1960s—and, of course, shares plenty more touching anecdotes about the animals he treats.

Every Living Thing

The fifth and final installment in Herriot's series, Every Living Thing, focuses mainly on Herriot's life back in Darrowby after his time in the military, his relationships with his growing children, and his trademark encounters with eccentric local townspeople and animal owners. As the series builds towards its conclusion, Herriot also reflects on the remarkable advances in medical technology that he's seen throughout his decades-long career, and the ways in which war has changed him.

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