The Real James Herriot : Penguin Books : 9780140268812 : 0140268812 : 26 Oct 2000 : Take a trip down memory lane and read about the life of Britain's most beloved vet, who charmed us all with his bestselling tales of veterinary life in Yorkshire. 'A wonderful, glorious insight into the life of the man behind the books' 5***** Reader Review 'Moving . . . A book I shall treasure and read several times' 5***** Reader Review ______ After qualifying as a vet in 1939, Alf Wight, aka James Herriot, moved to a veterinary practice in Thirsk, Yorkshire. It wasn't until he was over fifty when his first book of stories about life as a Yorkshire vet, If Only They Could Talk, was published, giving birth to some of Yorkshire's most famous and much-loved literary characters, and later becoming the popular BBC television series All Creatures Great and Small. Not only did his books have great success, but they also inspired many to take up the profession, in what was known as the 'Herriot effect'.