Author James Lucas is a retired Iowa veterinarian who chronicles some of his experiences in Birth in a Chicken House ( 636.089 LUC). If you haven't guessed by the cover illustration, he's a humorous story teller.
Growing up on a farm in Iowa, I could relate to some of the stories. Lucas was a small town vet who was expected to rush to a farmer's aide at a moments notice, whether it was to help a birthing cow or help a pet who had just been run over by a car. Being a vet was hard work, although he constantly reminds readers that it's extremely rewarding. Although he finds humor in some of these sad stories, it's not malicious - he does it with sensitivity.
He also tells stories about his experiences going to Iowa State College in the late 1950s as well, which was quite different than what students have today. He was required to wear a white shirt with a bow tie. The instructors were tough, failing at least a tenth of the students, and many students dropping completely out of vet school within a few weeks.
Birth in a Chicken House is a quick read, with each essay on a few pages at the most.
c Waterloo Public Library 2008
No comments:
Post a Comment