All Things Bright and Beautiful: The Warm and Joyful Memoirs of the World's Most Beloved Animal Doctor

James Herriot is the penname of author and renowned rural veterinarian James Alfred Wight. For the sake of clarity, this guide refers to him as Herriot—the name he calls himself in his All Creatures Great and Small book series and throughout his authorial career.

Herriot was born in Sunderland, England, but spent much of his childhood in Glasgow, Scotland. In the 1930s, he attended Glasgow Veterinary College, graduating in 1939. After graduation, he worked temporarily at a Sunderland veterinary practice but soon relocated to Thirsk, Yorkshire, to work with Donald Sinclair. Thirsk is the town that inspired the fictional town of Darrowby that features in his book, and Sinclair is the inspiration for the Siegfried Farnon character. Herriot lived and worked in the Yorkshire Dales for years. In the early 1940s, he and Joan Catherine Anderson Danbury got married. In the book series, Helen is the fictionalized version of Joan. The two created a life together, and later had two children, James and Rosie.

In 1942, Herriot left the Dales to serve in the Royal Air Force during World War II. All Things Bright and Beautiful concludes with him preparing for his departure to the front.