Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

For those who are worried that this is not the All Creatures Great and Small books they are expecting, fear not. This is the British published set. As I just learned from reading the biography of James Herriot written by his son, James Wight, Herriot's books were combined for the American market. What we know as _All Creatures Great and Small_ is Herriot's first two books printed together as one volume. His third and fourth books were printed together as _All Things Bright and Beautiful_, and his fifth and sixth books became _All Things Wise and Wonderful_ in America. The only difference between the versions is that the last chapter or two of _All Creatures Great and Small_, in which Herriot marries Helen, were added just for the American version; they are not in the British copy of _It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet_. Granted, these are wonderful chapters, but the rest of the stories in all these books are exactly the same as those in the books we are familiar with on this side of the pond. _The Lord God Made Them All_ and _Every Living Thing_ are unchanged; he wrote those as is for the British publications. One note: My set came with the books in the box not in the correct chronological order. I have no idea why they would be packed like that, but look at the publication dates to order them correctly, as they certainly should be read in proper order to get the full satisfaction of the underlying storylines that run throughout the series. Second note: If you love Herriot's writing, I highly recommend James Wight's biography of his father, _The Real James Herriot_. I just finished that and it is a well-written, fascinating look into Herriot's real life and work. Much of it will surprise you. (And from it I figured out why people here were complaining that this is not the set they were expecting!)