Author: Austin Donnelly
Genre: Non-Fiction. Humorous , Animals and Agriculture
Review by: Ann, Athy Library
Synopsis:
Compelling and wonderfully descriptive, Austin recalls his life experiences as a veterinarian travelling the globe, from his native Ireland to the far reaches of Australia and New Zealand.
REVIEW:
I love to read about the experiences of people in everyday life. Especially when they involve real life, humorous events that happen to them.
Austin Donnelly brings us along on his journey from growing up with quite a variety of animals at home, which gives him a unique perspective and understanding of animals. He then describes his time in veterinary college before delving into the wide world of veterinary practices from Ireland to Australia.
He obviously has a great love of animals both domestic and wild! I love the way he introduces the characters that come along with the animals that need his help. Some are funny and his descriptions of them are such that you can imagine meeting them yourself. From the eccentric and colourful to the ordinary everyday characters that populate his world. (and not just the animals!)
They take on a charm and warmth that just draws you along into the stories. There’s a funny tale of the chase and capture of a would be patient around a field that reminded me of my own experience of trying to catch horses that didn’t want to be caught!
Some of the narratives pull at your heartstrings and some just make you laugh out loud. All in all this was a wonderful read. I believe this is a particularly lovely memoir that provides a great insight into the life and experiences of a working vet while still proving to be an extremely entertaining read.
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