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A review by stephbookshine
Never Work With Animals by Gareth Steel
4.0
*I received a free ARC of this book, with thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
The obvious comparison to this book would be the classic veterinary memoirs of James Herriot, but actually I would say this is more like an animal version of This is Going to Hurt – more modern and with more emphasis on the medical and financial realities of veterinary work, rather than the poignant, witty anecdotes… although those are definitely there too!
Gareth Steel gives a very real picture of the physically and emotionally draining, stressful world of a general practice vet. And when I say ‘very real’, I mean we get everything, all of the gritty gory bits – blood, guts and faeces.
We also get in-depth discussions of ethical issues surrounding pet- and livestock-keeping, TB, the impact of Covid-19, farming practices, breeding practices, specialist surgeries, euthanasia and more. At times, the book did feel a little bit dense with detail – medical and/or philosophical – in a way that made me feel like I was reading a lecture/study text rather than a memoir.
Honest and raw, this is a fascinating insight into modern veterinary work and would be ideal reading for anyone thinking of a career in the field or who is already on that path.
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
The obvious comparison to this book would be the classic veterinary memoirs of James Herriot, but actually I would say this is more like an animal version of This is Going to Hurt – more modern and with more emphasis on the medical and financial realities of veterinary work, rather than the poignant, witty anecdotes… although those are definitely there too!
Gareth Steel gives a very real picture of the physically and emotionally draining, stressful world of a general practice vet. And when I say ‘very real’, I mean we get everything, all of the gritty gory bits – blood, guts and faeces.
We also get in-depth discussions of ethical issues surrounding pet- and livestock-keeping, TB, the impact of Covid-19, farming practices, breeding practices, specialist surgeries, euthanasia and more. At times, the book did feel a little bit dense with detail – medical and/or philosophical – in a way that made me feel like I was reading a lecture/study text rather than a memoir.
Honest and raw, this is a fascinating insight into modern veterinary work and would be ideal reading for anyone thinking of a career in the field or who is already on that path.
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog