James Herriot (born October 3, 1916, Sunderland, Durham, England—died February 23, 1995, Thirlby, near Thirsk, Yorkshire) was a British veterinarian and writer who shared his experiences of caring for animals in the countryside. His writing conveys a warmth and charm that has captivated readers around the world. He produced a series of popular books, including All Creatures Great and Small (1972), which has been adapted for film and television. Early life and career James Alfred (Alf) Wight was born into a family that was musically inclined—his father worked as a musician who accompanied silent pictures with background music, and his mother was a professional singer as well as a dressmaker—but he did not follow in his parents’ footsteps. Instead, he had an affinity for science and developed a love for animals. At the age of 23 he graduated (1939) from Veterinary College as a veterinary surgeon. After a brief stint at an animal clinic in his hometown of , , Wight traveled to the town of Thirsk (Darrowby in the book series) in to join (1940) the veterinary practice of brothers Donald and Brian Sinclair (Siegfried and Tristan Farnon in the book series), and he treated farm animals in the Yorkshire Dales. After some 40 years of caring for all manner of animals—from pampered pets to livestock—Wight stepped down from his full-time duties but continued to work part-time, without pay, until he fully retired at the age of 73. Did You Know?James Herriot served as a pilot in the during . From vet to author At the age of 50 Wight was persuaded by his wife, Joan Wight, to create a manuscript from a collection of anecdotes that he had been jotting down while making his rounds in the Yorkshire countryside, caring for farm animals and dealing with their sometimes fastidious owners. His humorous reminiscences, which he typed out while watching television, were written in the first person and fictionalized to protect the identities of his friends and neighbors. This first work was published in the as If Only They Could Talk (1970) under the pen name James Herriot (after Scottish goalkeeper Jim Herriot). Wight had chosen to use a pseudonym in keeping with the courtesy then expected of professionals, who were discouraged from promoting their services., James Alfred Wight OBE FRCVS (3 October 1916 – 23 February 1995), better known by his pen name James Herriot, was a British veterinary surgeon and author. Born in Sunderland, Wight graduated from Glasgow Veterinary College in 1939, returning to England to become a veterinary surgeon in Yorkshire, where he practised for almost 50 years., James Herriot (born October 3, 1916, Sunderland, Durham, England—died February 23, 1995, Thirlby, near Thirsk, Yorkshire) was a British veterinarian and writer who shared his experiences of caring for animals in the Yorkshire countryside..