Synopsis
This is the story of Gay Balliet and Edgar, her veterinarian husband, who tend the health of strange and delightful barn animals, buffaloes, baboons and other creatures large and small in the historically rich and colorful Pennsylvania Dutch Country. They share many unforgettable situations, characters, and experiences of courage, warmth, and hilarity with both their animal and human friends. Among them: Tonto, an impish llama and his sheep friends; Buster, a lame bull who leads chase through woods and pond; and Lowell, the existential pig who performs pirouettes to the command "Baryshnikov." Theirs is a timeless world that retains innocence and an appreciation of nature — a world they now share with animal lovers everywhere.
Reviews
"We are a hearty, plump, affable group that appreciates fatty foods and good friends," begins Balliet, describing herself and her veterinarian husband, along with the Pennsylvania Dutch community they serve as a "mobile veterinary MASH team." Balliet, an English professor at a local college, sets out her theme with earnest straightforwardness, announcing that she intends to show readers the unknown in the midst of the everyday, to deliver a sense of "otherworldliness, along with a sense of deep personal commitment and selflessness." But Balliet places an undue amount of importance on her and her husband's life preceding and surrounding Edgar's beginning his practice as a veterinarian. Throughout, the writing is stilted and wincingly quaint ("We had so little money that the most economic abode was a mobile home"). Chapters include "A Day to Remember," "Excitement at the Allentown Fair" and "A Dog in Cat's Clothing." Ultimately, Balliet's book fails to transcend the level of sentimental reminiscence. Still, animal lovers, especially those with ties to rural Pennsylvania, may be willing to overlook the text's belabored preciousness in order to savor stories of lovable cats, horses, llamas, goats and birds, as well as of a host of eccentric local characters (including one who believes that any ailment can be cured with urine). Despite the excess literary fat and sugar, the wonder of animals and the earthy humane details of doctoring them shines through.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
YA-With a style similar to that of James Herriot, Balliet presents the stories of memorable patients treated by her husband, a veterinarian. Since she worked as his assistant, the use of the first person is genuine and quickly draws readers into the various selections. Many of them present the happy or even funny sides of life; others are sad, as death is an ever-present reality. Readers will meet many wonderful characters: Beauty, a cat, and his doting owner; the talented pig, Lowell; and Misty, a pony, with his guardian angel. The stories are easy to read; medical details are given but not belabored. While Balliet includes many descriptions of the surrounding scenery, she keeps the book moving quickly by including lots of dialogue. However, although used sparingly, the written Pennsylvania-Dutch accent may be difficult for some teens. The color pictures on the cover and the line drawings within the text further bring the stories to life.
Claudia Moore, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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