A few months of married bliss, a lovers' nest in Darrowby and the wonders of home cooking are rudely interrupted for James Herriot by the Second World War. From the author whose books inspired the BBC series All Creatures Great and Small, Vets Might Fly, James Herriot's fifth volume of memoirs relocates him to a training camp somewhere in England. And in between square pounding and digging for victory, he dreams of the people and livestock he left behind him.

Strapped into the cockpit of a Tiger Moth trainer, Herriot has swapped his wellingtons and breeches for sheepskin boots and a flying suit. But very soon the vet-turned-airman is grounded, and back to his old life in the Dales.

James Herriot is probably the most beloved living writer. When All Things Bright and Beautiful was published three years ago, it became the number one best seller in the world, winning still new friends for the Yorkshire veterinarian whose first book All Creatures Great and Small had already been enjoyed by millions of readers. In this, his third book, he takes up where he left off-- both in terms of the warmth, humor, and skill with which he writes, and in the story itself. It is World War Two and James has just been inducted into the RAF. We see him at training camp and we go back to Yorkshire-- on real trips as he breaks away to see Helen who is about to have a baby, and on trips of reverie as he recalls the Dales, the animals, and the Yorkshire people who have so enriched his life. We meet old friends again-- his partner Siegfried, the zany Tristan, the bon vivant Granville Bennett-- and scores of new folk, each with a story to tell. James Herriot is back, and, as one reviewer said of his work, "If ever you have loved a friend, human or otherwise, this is the book for you."

A severe case of World War Two takes James Herriot away from his vet's life in the Dales and into a training camp somewhere in England. Square bashing in his uniform of RAF blue, he daydreams of the livestock he has left behind.

From the author whose books inspired the BBC series All Creatures Great and Small, Vet in Harness is the fourth volume of James Herriot's classic memoirs; a book for all those who find laughter and joy in animals, and who know and understand the magic and beauty of Britain’s wild places. The Yorkshire dales have never seemed more beautiful for James – now he has a lovely wife by his side, a partner's plate on the gate and the usual menagerie of farm animals, pets and owners demanding his constant attention and teaching him a few lessons along the way. All of the old Darrowby friends are on top form – Siegfried thrashes round the practice, Tristan occasionally buckles down for finals and James is signed up for a local cricket team. 'I grew up reading James Herriot's books and I'm delighted that thirty years on, they are still every bit as charming, heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny as they were then' – Kate Humble 'Herriot's enchanting tales of life in the Dales are deservedly classics. Full of extraordinary characters, animal and human, the books never fail to delight' – Amanda Owen, bestselling author of The Yorkshire Shepherdess

World War II intrudes on the pastoral life of the Yorkshire veterinarian and #1 New York Times–bestselling author of All Creatures Great and Small. Only a couple of years after settling into his new home in northern England, James Herriot is called to war. In this series of poignant and humorous episodes, the great veterinarian shares his experiences training with the Royal Air Force, pining for a pregnant wife, and checking in on the people back home who made his practice so fascinating. As the young men of Yorkshire are sent into battle and farmers consider the broader world they’re a part of, Herriot reflects on the lives—human and animal alike—that make his home worth fighting for.