Vet in a Spin was published by Michael Joseph in 1977 as the second of two UK volumes that were combined as All Things Wise and Wonderful for the American market. The title refers both to Herriot’s RAF flying training (spinning being an aerial maneuver that terrified the non-aerobatic vet) and to the general disorientation of wartime service after the rhythms of country practice.
The episodes in this volume tend toward the later period of Herriot’s RAF service, when the initial shock of military life had faded and routine (of a very different sort from veterinary routine) had established itself. The Yorkshire flashbacks in this volume often concern the more complex cases and the more fully drawn characters — as if Herriot, settled into military boredom, had time to remember in greater detail.
Like all the UK component volumes, Vet in a Spin is shorter and more focused than the US omnibus, giving readers a more concentrated dose of Herriot’s characteristic mix of comedy, veterinary detail, and landscape evocation.
Collecting Vet in a Spin
First edition (Michael Joseph, London, 1977): Cloth with pictorial dust jacket.
Market values:
- UK first edition, fine/fine: $25–$60
- Part of complete set: valued higher in context
Projected values (2026–2036): Moderate appreciation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the complete UK reading order? If Only They Could Talk (1970), It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet (1972), Let Sleeping Vets Lie (1973), Vet in Harness (1974), Vets Might Fly (1976), Vet in a Spin (1977), The Lord God Made Them All (1981), Every Living Thing (1992). The later compilations and selected editions add to the complexity.
What does “vet in a spin” mean? The title has a double meaning: it refers both to Herriot’s wartime RAF flying training (where “spin” is an aviation term for a spiral descent) and to the general chaos of a country vet’s life. This dual meaning — military and veterinary — reflects the book’s alternating structure.