Veterinarians Becoming Writers

Ever heard that Christmas classic, “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer?” Did you know it was written by a veterinarian? Here are three veterinarians who have contributed more than just a goofy holiday song to popular culture:

#1 James Herriot

James Herriot is the most famous veterinarian-turned-author of the twentieth century ever. A reader can tell what inspired him to tell the story of his life as a vet in the English countryside: the spartan and expansive beauty of the Yorkshire dales; the charm of farm and village life in the age of the draft horse; the quirky personalities of an isolated, rural culture. And of course, the joys and heartbreaks of practicing veterinary medicine in what we would consider primitive circumstances. For a nostalgic and sometimes hilarious look into English life right before World War II, start with All Creatures Great and Small, I guarantee you’ll want to read the other books in the series. 

#2. Elliott Garber

Elliott Garber is an Army veterinarian and author of the 2015 military medical thriller The Chimera Sequence (2015, Osprey Press). This is a page-turner featuring wildlife veterinarian Cole McBride, whose research leads him from the Congo to Sudan to Washington, D.C., chasing a contagion of global proportions. A great combination of science, action, and a touch of romance. Very good debut from this promising author.

#3 Bo Brock

Bo Brock is a veterinarian practicing in the hinterlands of Texas. He is renowned in the region as an equine veterinarian, but in his practice he treats all kinds of animals: dogs, cats, goats, cattle. I’ve been enjoying his humor column in the veterinary press for years (“Here’s the situation: it is the middle of the night, and I am about to deliver baby goats in my living room…”) His 2016 memoir Crowded in the Middle of Nowhere is in the same vein—think of Dr. Brock as a modern-day, West Texas James Herriot.