In the years after the publication of All Creatures Great and Small, James Herriot became the most beloved storyteller of our time. The warm and joyful memoirs of his life as a country vet in England's Yorkshire have endeared him to countless readers around the world. In addition to the succeeding volumes in that series- All Things Bright and Beautiful, All Things Wise and Wonderful, The Lord God Made Them All, and Every Living Thing- his writing has appeared in eight children's books and in the special illustrated volumes James Herriot's Yorkshire and The Best of James Herriot. James Herriot's Cat Stories, with more than a million copies in print, became his most popular hardcover ever. And, in this volume, the kindly animal doctor collects fifty of his tales about his very favorite animal-man's best friend. Herriot tells us that even at an early age "I was fascinated by dogs...I could never quite take dogs for granted. Why were they so devoted to the human race? Why should they delight in our company and welcome us home in transports of joy? Why should their greatest pleasure lie in being with us in our homes and wherever we were?...As a vet I could be with dogs all the time, attending to them, curing their illnesses, saving their lives." And although-as James Herriot was soon to find out-being a vet in the Yorkshire Dales meant caring for cows, sheep, and horses, with precious little time left over for "small animal" practice, somehow dogs continued to play a large pare in both his personal and his professional life. Here are the complete dog stories form the first four volumes of his memoirs: a handsome collection of tales (some available nowhere else in America) that will warm the hearts of dog lovers around the world. Featuring a special introduction by the author and his own accompanying notes to each story, and warmly illustrated by Victor Ambrus, this tribute from man to dog is a volume no Herriot fan will want to be without. YA Readers of Herriot's four classics and viewers of the PBS series will recognize many of these stories, which will still bring a smile or a tear to the eyes of dog lovers. Each of the 50 stories is preceded by a pen-and-ink sketch. Following each story, there are one or two paragraphs of Herriot's philosophy, outlook on life, and reminiscences about the dogs he has known. In these accounts he illustrates the various reactions of the dogs to the vet who treats them, thus providing the psychological side of animal doctoring. Especially interesting and enlightening are the descriptions of treatments given in the '30s as compared to what research has put into the hands of today's vet. A good choice for dog lovers. Mary Wadsworth Sucher, Baltimore County Reading Services Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. Those awaiting the further adventures of Twicki Woo, the pampered Pekingese, may be disappointed to find only a postscript. Those seeking an excuse to reread selections from the author's popular book quartet ( All Creatures Great and Small , etc.) chronicling his Yorkshire veterinary experiences will be gratified to discover this collection of tales solely about dogs. The repackaging of these stories (some never published in the United States) has not lessened their charm or obscured the author's delightful insight into human and canine character. An optional purchase for limited-budget libraries, but most others should buy to meet the expected demand. Kimberly Megginson, VA Medical Ctr. Lib., Bedford, Mass. Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. "[Herriot has the] ability to touch readers with his stories of pets and their eccentric owners and to bring them into the harshly beautiful world of the Yorkshire dales." -- Chicago Tribune "His message is affectionate, and his four-footed creatures are irresistible." -- Time magazine "Herriot's real gift lies in keeping us intrigued with his human and dog characters...Herriot teaches us how unpredictable and joyous life can be." -- San Francisco Chronicle "There is no finer teller of dog stories in the world than James Herriot." -- Knickerbocker News James Herriot grew up in Scotland and moved to Yorkshire after attending Glasgow Veterinary College. He was a practicing veterinarian in Yorkshire until his son took over his practice in the 1980s. His other books include James Herriot's Favorite Dog Stories, a special gift collection joining ten of his best-loved canine tales with beautiful watercolor illustrations by Lesley Holmes, James Herriot died in 1995. Stated First Edition James Herriot