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Creatures of the Rock: A Veterinarian's Adventures in Newfoundland
A James Herriot for the 21st century recounts his adventures as a newcomer to Newfoundland.When Andrew Peacock made the move from Ontario to Newfoundland, he thought he was kicking off his career as a newly qualified vetenarian with an adventure in a temporary location. It was certainly an adventure, but there was nothing temporary about it. He practiced in Newfoundland for nearly 30 years and is still living there. In fact, he has lived there so long, the locals are starting to think of him as one of them.Creatures of the Rock chronicles a career spent working with and getting to know a rich variety of animals and their owners, on farms, in homes and zoos, and in the wild. Andrew was the only vet for miles around. A day of practice could include anything from a Caesarian section on a cow in a blizzard to freeing a humpback whale from a trap designed for cod to capturing a polar bear after its surprise visit to a bingo parlor. And, on the human side, anything from trying to impress a surpringly large audience of farmers with your first boar castration, to taking care of a family just as well as its stricken cat, to discouraging farm hands from helping themselves to hypodermic needles. All this against the background of a domestic scene in which Andrew's wife Ingrid—also freshly qualified, as a doctor—shares the adventure of making new life, and in due course of starting a family.Told in a series of brief, endlessly engaging stories, Creatures of the Rock is a funny, thrilling, unflinching but ultimately heartwarming narrative about the connections between people and animals, and people with each other.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 18, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
May 9, 2022
Yes indeed, Andrew Peacock's Creatures of The Rock is very much similar in both set-up and general feel to the well-known (and much beloved) memoirs of veterinarian turned author James Herriot (or rather, Alf Wight), except that instead of a locality in rural England (rural Yorkshire to be more exact), Creatures of the Rock presents and features the author's experiences as a veterinarian in rural Newfoundland (which he originally assumed would only be a temporary assignment, an adventurous learning experience before settling down in some metropolitan, urban small animal practice, but it ended up becoming a permeant sojourn of more than thirty years and still counting, so permanent in fact, that even the locals are now starting to consider Andrew Peacock and his family as one of their own and no longer simply tolerated interlopers from Ontario).
And while many of the anecdotes recounted in Creatures of the Rock are of course and by simple nature and necessity standard rural veterinarian type of fare (such as having to attend to ailing animals around the clock and during inclement weather), because Creatures of the Rock is set in Newfoundland and Andrew Peacock was in many ways the only qualified veterinarian for hundreds of miles, some of the presented scenarios are of course unique to the province (like having to free an entangled, trapped humpback whale from fishing gear or dealing with a polar bear that decided to pay a visit to a local bingo hall).
Now as far as the storylines itself, as far as Creatures of the Rock holds up as a personal memoir, although I have indeed and in fact found Andrew Peacock's narrative much enjoyable (and while the likely similarity to James Herriot's own veterinarian memoirs had already endeared Creatures of the Rock to me before I even commenced my perusal), it is also and yes a bit unfortunately the noticed differences between Peacock's and Herriot's writing style and modes of expression that have made me only consider but a high three star ranking for Creatures of the Rock. For although the author's engagingly presented anecdotes and episodic scenarios are entertaining and sometimes even rather thought-provoking, they are really and truly usually just a bit too brief in general, a bit too lacking in descriptive, narrative detail (for albeit that with James Herriot, his diverse anecdotes always or at least usually contain a combination of description, dialogue and personal musings, Andrew Peacock's featured and described episodes do rather more often than not present but a bare bones type of exposition, adequately rendered perhaps, but sadly also often lacking in much and sometimes even in my opinion necessary additional, superfluous details and information, and certainly NOT usually in any way enough for me to have both my academic and my cultural, historical interests satisfied, and thus almost always after having perused an episode of Creatures of the Rock leaving me hungering for more and feeling a trifle frustrated). A fun read, a quick and easy read, both heartwarming and with much entertainment value (but for me personally, Andrew Peacock is still just scratching the proverbial surface so to speak with his Creatures of the Rock, and there is just not enough description, expansion, not enough provided information and details on the animal patients Peacock is treating, on the owners, the caretakers of said animals, even on his own family for me to have absolutely and totally enjoyed, to have completely loved Creatures of the Rock with no reservations and no caveats for potential readers, as I am sorry to say, that while Andrew Peacock's veterinarian memoirs are akin to the James Herriot books, the author very definitely and sadly is no James Herriot).
And while many of the anecdotes recounted in Creatures of the Rock are of course and by simple nature and necessity standard rural veterinarian type of fare (such as having to attend to ailing animals around the clock and during inclement weather), because Creatures of the Rock is set in Newfoundland and Andrew Peacock was in many ways the only qualified veterinarian for hundreds of miles, some of the presented scenarios are of course unique to the province (like having to free an entangled, trapped humpback whale from fishing gear or dealing with a polar bear that decided to pay a visit to a local bingo hall).
Now as far as the storylines itself, as far as Creatures of the Rock holds up as a personal memoir, although I have indeed and in fact found Andrew Peacock's narrative much enjoyable (and while the likely similarity to James Herriot's own veterinarian memoirs had already endeared Creatures of the Rock to me before I even commenced my perusal), it is also and yes a bit unfortunately the noticed differences between Peacock's and Herriot's writing style and modes of expression that have made me only consider but a high three star ranking for Creatures of the Rock. For although the author's engagingly presented anecdotes and episodic scenarios are entertaining and sometimes even rather thought-provoking, they are really and truly usually just a bit too brief in general, a bit too lacking in descriptive, narrative detail (for albeit that with James Herriot, his diverse anecdotes always or at least usually contain a combination of description, dialogue and personal musings, Andrew Peacock's featured and described episodes do rather more often than not present but a bare bones type of exposition, adequately rendered perhaps, but sadly also often lacking in much and sometimes even in my opinion necessary additional, superfluous details and information, and certainly NOT usually in any way enough for me to have both my academic and my cultural, historical interests satisfied, and thus almost always after having perused an episode of Creatures of the Rock leaving me hungering for more and feeling a trifle frustrated). A fun read, a quick and easy read, both heartwarming and with much entertainment value (but for me personally, Andrew Peacock is still just scratching the proverbial surface so to speak with his Creatures of the Rock, and there is just not enough description, expansion, not enough provided information and details on the animal patients Peacock is treating, on the owners, the caretakers of said animals, even on his own family for me to have absolutely and totally enjoyed, to have completely loved Creatures of the Rock with no reservations and no caveats for potential readers, as I am sorry to say, that while Andrew Peacock's veterinarian memoirs are akin to the James Herriot books, the author very definitely and sadly is no James Herriot).
April 28, 2022
I never really know what will call to me from the Book Universe, especially when I am filling an order at my favorite online bookseller. Not too long ago, Mother wanted me to put in a request for a few books for her shelves, so I had the brilliant idea of looking for books by veterinarians while I was there. I ordered a couple that sounded interesting.
This is a 2014 publication, but it is clear to see that Peacock was influenced by James Herriot. I suppose nearly every veterinarian who began to write about his or her own practice was influenced by the Herriot books. As we all know those books were fictionalized depictions of the author's actual experiences, written with such charm that the world fell in love.
Naturally a reader who browses used book shops and library sale tables will notice certain topics and over the years I have collected quite a few books written by or about veterinarians. As a matter of fact, one of my projects for 2023 will be to go through my shelves and find them all and do a major re-read of any that have print large enough for me to see so many years after I first found them. lol
And what does all this trivia have to do with Creatures Of The Rock? Well, I think I am just stalling because I have to confess that I did not enjoy this book as much as I had hoped to. Andrew Peacock tells about how he arrived in Newfoundland as a brand new vet, landing a government job right out of school. It was supposed to be a temporary adventure of a job, but he was still there thirty years later. This book shares some of the incidents and animals he came across in those early years. There is a section of nice pictures, and 36 short chapters quickly covering many topics.
I discovered what I think of as veterinary literature after Herriot, and of course it is very hard to keep from comparing writing styles while reading any other vet/author. I battle against that habit, but sometimes I lose the fight. Like with this book. Some of the major incidents in at least the first of Herriot's books were difficult births by cows, or three lambs all trying to be born at once and the vet needing to sort out the mess before anyone can see the light of day. And who could forget the famous incident of the rubber calving suit? And then there were all the big pigs that needed care but did not necessarily want it.
This was one of my issues. A student assistant asks him if he went through anything like the things Herriot had gone through and in the rest of that chapter Peacock described a difficult but ultimately successful calving. Later he explains sorting out the jigsaw puzzle of triplet lambs trying to be born all at once, and later again he spoke of a very large and very cranky pig. He also had a story about a calving suit.
Now I know that any veterinary practice has basically similar incidents the world over, but the fact that I noticed and compared the two author's experiences irked me. I tried to ignore that, but I couldn't keep myself from thinking about it. And while it is also not fair to compare a fictionalized account with a collection of essays, I couldn't keep from doing that either. In one we experienced the progression of a life, but here while the effort is made at first (I loved the story of how the Peacocks found their house) after that the whole book just felt patchy to me, as if the author merely began picking memories at random and quickly writing them down.
But these reactions were probably just me. Other readers might enjoy this book much more than I did. The polar bear story was pretty cool, and the bull in the dump truck, while not exactly a success medically, was certainly impressive to picture while reading. Peacock seems like a nice guy, and a competent, caring veterinarian, but I won't be spending any more time with him.
This is a 2014 publication, but it is clear to see that Peacock was influenced by James Herriot. I suppose nearly every veterinarian who began to write about his or her own practice was influenced by the Herriot books. As we all know those books were fictionalized depictions of the author's actual experiences, written with such charm that the world fell in love.
Naturally a reader who browses used book shops and library sale tables will notice certain topics and over the years I have collected quite a few books written by or about veterinarians. As a matter of fact, one of my projects for 2023 will be to go through my shelves and find them all and do a major re-read of any that have print large enough for me to see so many years after I first found them. lol
And what does all this trivia have to do with Creatures Of The Rock? Well, I think I am just stalling because I have to confess that I did not enjoy this book as much as I had hoped to. Andrew Peacock tells about how he arrived in Newfoundland as a brand new vet, landing a government job right out of school. It was supposed to be a temporary adventure of a job, but he was still there thirty years later. This book shares some of the incidents and animals he came across in those early years. There is a section of nice pictures, and 36 short chapters quickly covering many topics.
I discovered what I think of as veterinary literature after Herriot, and of course it is very hard to keep from comparing writing styles while reading any other vet/author. I battle against that habit, but sometimes I lose the fight. Like with this book. Some of the major incidents in at least the first of Herriot's books were difficult births by cows, or three lambs all trying to be born at once and the vet needing to sort out the mess before anyone can see the light of day. And who could forget the famous incident of the rubber calving suit? And then there were all the big pigs that needed care but did not necessarily want it.
This was one of my issues. A student assistant asks him if he went through anything like the things Herriot had gone through and in the rest of that chapter Peacock described a difficult but ultimately successful calving. Later he explains sorting out the jigsaw puzzle of triplet lambs trying to be born all at once, and later again he spoke of a very large and very cranky pig. He also had a story about a calving suit.
Now I know that any veterinary practice has basically similar incidents the world over, but the fact that I noticed and compared the two author's experiences irked me. I tried to ignore that, but I couldn't keep myself from thinking about it. And while it is also not fair to compare a fictionalized account with a collection of essays, I couldn't keep from doing that either. In one we experienced the progression of a life, but here while the effort is made at first (I loved the story of how the Peacocks found their house) after that the whole book just felt patchy to me, as if the author merely began picking memories at random and quickly writing them down.
But these reactions were probably just me. Other readers might enjoy this book much more than I did. The polar bear story was pretty cool, and the bull in the dump truck, while not exactly a success medically, was certainly impressive to picture while reading. Peacock seems like a nice guy, and a competent, caring veterinarian, but I won't be spending any more time with him.
December 10, 2014
A young friend of mine has just started her professional career in Newfoundland, leaving behind friends and family, knowing not one soul in her new home.
When I saw Andrew Peacock's newly released memoir, Creatures of the Rock: A Veterinarian's Adventures in Newfoundland, it struck a chord. Hailey, this one's for you!
In 1982 newly minted veterinarian Andrew Peacock and his physician wife (also recently graduated) move from Ontario to Newfoundland to start their professional careers. They too, knew no one. The plan - stay two years.
In Creatures of the Rock, Peacock recounts those first days and the ensuing years in a practice that spanned twenty eight years on the Avalon Peninsula. Peacock was the only vet for 130 miles, on call night and day - and on his own.
His patients ranged from the smallest house pet to one of the largest animals you could imagine - a whale! And of course the owners of those animals are a large part of the story as well. We meet the neighbours and the clients as Peacock and his wife settle into life on the Rock and raise their three children in the small community of Freshwater. I enjoyed the glimpse into life in Newfoundland and I also picked up some animal husbandry knowledge!
Peacock's writing has an ease to it, a tone of conversation almost. His warmth, humour and compassion and love of his profession are evident in his recounting of his years tending to the creatures in his territory. He's a very engaging storyteller.
There are photographs included with the book - it was nice to put a face to a voice I really enjoyed reading. There will be inevitable comparisons to British vet, James Herriot. Peacock acknowledges that those tales were a model for his own. My advice? Pick up Peacock's book - it's homegrown and a really great read. Here's an excerpt of Creatures of the Rock.
Andrew and Ingrid still make their home in Newfoundland. And Hailey's adventures are just beginning....
When I saw Andrew Peacock's newly released memoir, Creatures of the Rock: A Veterinarian's Adventures in Newfoundland, it struck a chord. Hailey, this one's for you!
In 1982 newly minted veterinarian Andrew Peacock and his physician wife (also recently graduated) move from Ontario to Newfoundland to start their professional careers. They too, knew no one. The plan - stay two years.
In Creatures of the Rock, Peacock recounts those first days and the ensuing years in a practice that spanned twenty eight years on the Avalon Peninsula. Peacock was the only vet for 130 miles, on call night and day - and on his own.
His patients ranged from the smallest house pet to one of the largest animals you could imagine - a whale! And of course the owners of those animals are a large part of the story as well. We meet the neighbours and the clients as Peacock and his wife settle into life on the Rock and raise their three children in the small community of Freshwater. I enjoyed the glimpse into life in Newfoundland and I also picked up some animal husbandry knowledge!
Peacock's writing has an ease to it, a tone of conversation almost. His warmth, humour and compassion and love of his profession are evident in his recounting of his years tending to the creatures in his territory. He's a very engaging storyteller.
There are photographs included with the book - it was nice to put a face to a voice I really enjoyed reading. There will be inevitable comparisons to British vet, James Herriot. Peacock acknowledges that those tales were a model for his own. My advice? Pick up Peacock's book - it's homegrown and a really great read. Here's an excerpt of Creatures of the Rock.
Andrew and Ingrid still make their home in Newfoundland. And Hailey's adventures are just beginning....
January 11, 2015
Amusing collection of anecdotes from a veterinarian who left Ontario to work in Newfoundland and never left. An interesting tidbit of information which is never mentioned in the story is that this author is the brother of famous Canadian YA writer, Shane Peacock. Andrew, unfortunately, doesn't have his brother's gift for storytelling, at least yet. I'm not a pet person myself but find I'm fond of vet/zoo/animal expedition tales; what I found lacking here was a good narrative voice and a connection with the characters. The stories were interesting, amusing and certainly gave off a genuine love for the landscape and people of Newfoundland. The writing though is stilted and the humour often falls flat of where it seemed to be aiming. With hardly any repetition of recurring patients and owners the book lacks cohesiveness and the potential for a reader to become invested in any characters is lost. However, this certainly doesn't mean the vignettes collected here are not worth the read.
January 27, 2016
Fantastic. I broke my self-imposed "no hardcovers" rule out of eagerness just to read it, and it was well worth it. I'm not so good with the reviews so that pretty much says it all for me. Very entertaining, and a comfort to one living away from home. Thank you Mr. Peacock.
October 6, 2016
Recently, memoirs have been all I wanted to read. After reading A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy by Sue Klebold, the mother of a teenaged mass-shooting perpetrator, and
The Education of Augie Merasty: A Residential School Memoir
, a residential school memoir, I decided for something a bit less traumatic.
Creatures of the Rock: A Veterinarian's Adventures in Newfoundland is the light, humorous memoir of a now-retired provincial veterinarian in Newfoundland. Each thirty-six chapters relate a noteworthy event, ranging from difficult calf births and horse wounds to whale rescue and caribou relocation.
What emerges right away from this book is the author's love for Newfoundland. Born in Ontario, he had initially “agreed [he and his wife] would work in rural Newfoundland for two years and then move on to further adventures”. However, the couple fell in love with the place and still live there three decades later. Peacock repeatedly praises the landscape, from the “beautiful valley between two rocky ridges” (North River) to the “breathtaking” drive to the Cape Shore region. His enthusiasm is very contagious and definitely makes you want to see Newfoundland for yourself.
Beside the beautiful scenery, the reader gets a glimpse of Peacock's veterinarian experience and of farming practices in this remote province. Amongst the many births, euthanasias, and wound caring, it's the stories about cow milk that struck me tremendously:
I am not sure that this is what Andrew Peacock intended, but I have not been able to drink any cow milk since I read his book. This book might have done to me what vegan activists never managed to.
This being said, I wouldn't say Creatures of the Rock was an exciting read. While there is definitely value in Peacock's experiences, the narrative is very lacking. It often feels dry and cold, with a focus on the technical aspects of his interventions. He often breaks any possible tension in a story by stating that a calving issue will wait till the end of his amateur hockey game, or a suspicion of dog abuse a few days. While several stories were insightful, especially the one about a little boy facing the awful choice to euthanize his cat, many others weren't that impressive. At times, I felt frankly bored.
Overall, Creatures of the Rock is an easy, entertaining read, perfect to accompany a vacation or a long week-end. It is always fascinating to have a peek at other people's experience and other places. However, it is not the most thrilling book, as the writing unfortunately lacks of stamina and some stories may leave you with an underwhelming feeling.
Creatures of the Rock: A Veterinarian's Adventures in Newfoundland is the light, humorous memoir of a now-retired provincial veterinarian in Newfoundland. Each thirty-six chapters relate a noteworthy event, ranging from difficult calf births and horse wounds to whale rescue and caribou relocation.
What emerges right away from this book is the author's love for Newfoundland. Born in Ontario, he had initially “agreed [he and his wife] would work in rural Newfoundland for two years and then move on to further adventures”. However, the couple fell in love with the place and still live there three decades later. Peacock repeatedly praises the landscape, from the “beautiful valley between two rocky ridges” (North River) to the “breathtaking” drive to the Cape Shore region. His enthusiasm is very contagious and definitely makes you want to see Newfoundland for yourself.
Beside the beautiful scenery, the reader gets a glimpse of Peacock's veterinarian experience and of farming practices in this remote province. Amongst the many births, euthanasias, and wound caring, it's the stories about cow milk that struck me tremendously:
"In order to be economically useful, a cow must produce milk at a level that puts great strain on her body. Dairy cows commonly run into health problems caused by this unnaturally high production of milk."
"These diminutive cows [the Jerseys] are pushed to make so much milk relative to their body size that they can lose a lot of calcium they need to keep their bodies healthy and to maintain normal brain activity. Without enough calcium, cattle can get very sick and even die."
"The goal with individual cows is for them to have a calf and then produce milk for about three hundred days. The cow then gets a break for about sixty days before she is expected to have another calf. This works out to a cycle of about one full year: a cow's pregnancy lasts around nine months, leaving her three months to get pregnant after delivery."
I am not sure that this is what Andrew Peacock intended, but I have not been able to drink any cow milk since I read his book. This book might have done to me what vegan activists never managed to.
This being said, I wouldn't say Creatures of the Rock was an exciting read. While there is definitely value in Peacock's experiences, the narrative is very lacking. It often feels dry and cold, with a focus on the technical aspects of his interventions. He often breaks any possible tension in a story by stating that a calving issue will wait till the end of his amateur hockey game, or a suspicion of dog abuse a few days. While several stories were insightful, especially the one about a little boy facing the awful choice to euthanize his cat, many others weren't that impressive. At times, I felt frankly bored.
Overall, Creatures of the Rock is an easy, entertaining read, perfect to accompany a vacation or a long week-end. It is always fascinating to have a peek at other people's experience and other places. However, it is not the most thrilling book, as the writing unfortunately lacks of stamina and some stories may leave you with an underwhelming feeling.
May 4, 2015
A tremendously enjoyable collection and snippets of life in rural Newfoundland. Andrew Peacock the vet who came to the island in the 1980s from Ontario and made the Carbonear area home, describes various stories that happened to him in the last 25 years on the island
A whale that had an EKG.
A polar bear in a bingo hall.
A cow that is feeling nish ...
He describes the area and lingo real good. Some stories are funny and some are sad. A modern James Herriot, a more local one.
recommended to anyone who enjoys stories about veterinary medicine and life in an out port .
A whale that had an EKG.
A polar bear in a bingo hall.
A cow that is feeling nish ...
He describes the area and lingo real good. Some stories are funny and some are sad. A modern James Herriot, a more local one.
recommended to anyone who enjoys stories about veterinary medicine and life in an out port .
June 23, 2016
If you have ever visited the province of Newfoundland and have fallen in love with the true beauty of this island. Then this book will bring back fond memories. This book is about a young Veterinarian's journey as a Government Vet, who leaves Northern Ontario, to start his first practice on the Rock. Andrew Peacock is reminiscent of James Harriot's books only with a more recent spin. He not only ministers to domestic animals large and small but also to any wildlife that need help or transportation throughout the island. This is a worthwhile read. Enjoy.
June 13, 2015
Andrew Peacock's writing style is warm and humorous. His ability to capture the spirit and essence of Newfoundland is a task not easily done, but he executes it with great talent. This book is one of the most beautifully written biographies I have ever read.
December 2, 2014
If you liked England's James Herriot, you'll enjoy this Newfoundland version... The writing isn't particularly compelling - I didn't get that feeling of awesome characters as I would have expected - but it's a light, easy read.
January 26, 2015
Interesting tales of a country vet in Newfoundland. Not the greatest writing but the stories were engaging. This is Dr. Peacock's memoir - his career in short stories. Nothing spectacular here but a fun read.
January 25, 2015
delightful book full of humourous tales about the critters and folks in one of my favourite places in the world...Newfoundland and Labrador.
December 8, 2014
The title pretty much says it.
January 5, 2015
Great short stories, and the Newfoundland 'flavour' is excellent.
January 26, 2015
I loved this endearing book about a vet, his patients and their humans.
January 1, 2016
I found this book to be a pale imitation of James Herriot’s far better books.
January 28, 2019
Veterinarian Andrew Peacock describes for us what it was like to be a vet in Newfoundland for thirty years. His stories are funny and heartwarming, and describe not just the actual procedures undertaken with the farm animals under his care, but also what life in a small Newfoundland fishing village is like.
His stories are all pretty short so you can whip through the book pretty quickly. The only downside would be that occasionally I felt a particular story was too brief and I would have liked a little more depth to learn more about the animals or people involved, but that’s just a minor quibble. This isn’t meant to be rocket science or an in-depth character study.
This would be the perfect, light read for any fans of James Herriot’s books, or for anyone who loves animals (or Newfoundland!).
His stories are all pretty short so you can whip through the book pretty quickly. The only downside would be that occasionally I felt a particular story was too brief and I would have liked a little more depth to learn more about the animals or people involved, but that’s just a minor quibble. This isn’t meant to be rocket science or an in-depth character study.
This would be the perfect, light read for any fans of James Herriot’s books, or for anyone who loves animals (or Newfoundland!).
April 16, 2020
I loved this book. I knew I would love this book because I have already read it! I don't know why it's not down, or perhaps it is and I couldn't find it. In any case, this books made me laugh out loud (again!). It's generally a happy ending type of read but does contain some inevitable deaths as must occur in the life of a vet. The Newfoundland characters are charming and Mr. Peacock's description of the land is outstanding. It's a super Isolation Book as it takes one away and provides mostly uplifting stories.
August 8, 2018
Made me homesick😢❤
April 25, 2024
Absolutely loved this book! If you are a fan of James Herriott, you will enjoy.
October 14, 2017
A husband and wife, one an animal doctor and the other a human doctor practice medicine in Newfoundland. After the birth of their children, Ingrid’s medical practice settled into routine hours while emergency still had Andrew out all hours. There are the usual animal having trouble giving birth, milk fever, pneumonia, and worms. The location also adds the unusual, whales, polar bears, and Caribou. He finds treating animals is more difficult if you cannot understand the owner’s dialect. The interactions between veterinarian, owners, and animal provide some laughs, some tears, and a few “He did what!” moments. If you like animals and farm stories, you will like this book.
April 2, 2015
In the early 1980s, the author graduated from vet school in Guelph, ON, and accepted a job in Newfoundland. Part of his contract was that he had to agree to stay for two years ... and he's still there!
This book is a compilation of his experiences which include rescuing a whale caught in a fishing net, castrating cows and pigs, transporting an orphaned baby moose in the passenger seat of his truck, etc. Rather than serving his promised two years and moving back to Ontario, he and his wife, Ingrid (who was a doctor) found the house of their dreams in Freshwater and raised their children.
The book is reminiscent of the stories of James Herriot (which I enjoyed) but set in Newfoundland. The colourful flavour and accents of the locals come through.
I liked the writing style. I felt liked I was sitting and having a cup of tea with the author and having a chat. The stories were interesting and funny. He's been lucky to have lots of crazy experiences. It's obvious he loves what he does and loves Newfoundland. There are pictures at the end to give you a taste of what his life was like.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2015/04...
This book is a compilation of his experiences which include rescuing a whale caught in a fishing net, castrating cows and pigs, transporting an orphaned baby moose in the passenger seat of his truck, etc. Rather than serving his promised two years and moving back to Ontario, he and his wife, Ingrid (who was a doctor) found the house of their dreams in Freshwater and raised their children.
The book is reminiscent of the stories of James Herriot (which I enjoyed) but set in Newfoundland. The colourful flavour and accents of the locals come through.
I liked the writing style. I felt liked I was sitting and having a cup of tea with the author and having a chat. The stories were interesting and funny. He's been lucky to have lots of crazy experiences. It's obvious he loves what he does and loves Newfoundland. There are pictures at the end to give you a taste of what his life was like.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2015/04...
March 22, 2015
Beautiful non-fiction that could be suggested to adults or teens, maybe even older tweens just looking for something to catch their interest. I found myself reading bits of this one out loud to our girls just because it was interesting. Couldn't help but remember how much I loved reading James Herriott when I was young.
The only thing that was missing from this book was a fuller tale of the people he met when he was on his calls but that might not be a fair criticism as his main area of interest has to be the animals he cared for. There certainly is a wide variety. The stories that will stay with me longest will be those of the wild animals he was luck to meet - the moose and the whale most certainly.
The only thing that was missing from this book was a fuller tale of the people he met when he was on his calls but that might not be a fair criticism as his main area of interest has to be the animals he cared for. There certainly is a wide variety. The stories that will stay with me longest will be those of the wild animals he was luck to meet - the moose and the whale most certainly.
June 10, 2016
Each chapter features a vignette of something humorous or, occasionally, profound that happened throughout the career of the author's veterinarian practice in Newfoundland. I would have liked it more if there had been more description, I think, as Newfoundland sounds like a beautiful, unique place that most people have not had the opportunity to visit. The writing style was terse and to the point. There's nothing inherently wrong with that but I think I would have enjoyed the stories more if they had been more fleshed out.
March 16, 2017
I really enjoyed this book and though it didn't stand up to my love of James Herriot (I may be biased and overly attached to Herriot's work...) I love love loved the Newfoundland setting. The author also makes it an easy, fun read.
February 10, 2017
Heartwarming and hilarious
February 21, 2017
Loved this book. Reminded me of James Herriott stories, which were a favorite in my childhood. Interesting adventures of a rural vet.
July 3, 2017
An enjoyable, easy read, with a delightful ending, gifted to me by a beloved Newfoundlander. :-)
January 6, 2018
I enjoyed this book at first, but it's just too long. I feel like I get it by now, and I don't really want to spend more time getting through the second half.
March 25, 2019
I have an enormous weak spot for stories about animals, especially about veterinarian's experiences with animals -- James Herriot, for sure, but he's hardly the only vet who's written about his experiences. And though Andrew Peacock doesn't quite have the same flair in his writing as Herriot does (though given that this is his first book, it's understandable that he'd take some time to settle into the role of a writer), he does tell entertaining and even touching stories about his work with animals, as well as his experiences with the people of Newfoundland.
"Creatures of the Rock" tells the story of how Peacock, fresh out of veterinarian school, ends up taking a two-year post in a tiny town in Newfoundland, an island territory of Canada. He figures his stay there will be temporary... but thirty years later, he's still living and practicing there. And he relates his misadventures on "the rock" with self-depreciating humor and witty observations on the people and animals he encounters on a daily basis. And as he does dental work on a lost polar bear, wrecks his truck while out on a call, gives a humpback whale an EKG, transports a baby moose in the passenger seat of his (new) truck, and assists with the cattle, horses, goats, sheep, dogs, cats, and wildlife of his "temporary" home, he and his wife start a family of their own, and come to slowly fit in with the locals.
Like any collection of animal stories, this book is full of both humor and heartbreak -- being a veterinarian, Peacock does encounter some delightfully absurd characters of both the human and critter variety, but also disappointment, frustration, and grief. Many of these stories left a smile on my face, but animals don't always make it, and at least one of the stories made me outright angry as I read (though not due to anything Peacock did). Still, this is an enjoyable read, and I had to laugh at the antics of the people and animals Peacock met along the way.
The writing of this book is a little stiff at times, but that's to be expected from a first book. Peacock still does a delightful job of bringing the stark beauty of Newfoundland to life, as well as the eccentric and varied characters he deals with on a regular basis. I hope he keeps writing, and settles into his voice.
If you like the work of James Herriot, give "Creatures of the Rock" a shot. Peacock gives us a colorful look at an oft-overlooked corner of the world and its human and critter inhabitants, and isn't afraid to have a chuckle at his own expense. And while it has its sad moments, it's still a funny and heartwarming read.
"Creatures of the Rock" tells the story of how Peacock, fresh out of veterinarian school, ends up taking a two-year post in a tiny town in Newfoundland, an island territory of Canada. He figures his stay there will be temporary... but thirty years later, he's still living and practicing there. And he relates his misadventures on "the rock" with self-depreciating humor and witty observations on the people and animals he encounters on a daily basis. And as he does dental work on a lost polar bear, wrecks his truck while out on a call, gives a humpback whale an EKG, transports a baby moose in the passenger seat of his (new) truck, and assists with the cattle, horses, goats, sheep, dogs, cats, and wildlife of his "temporary" home, he and his wife start a family of their own, and come to slowly fit in with the locals.
Like any collection of animal stories, this book is full of both humor and heartbreak -- being a veterinarian, Peacock does encounter some delightfully absurd characters of both the human and critter variety, but also disappointment, frustration, and grief. Many of these stories left a smile on my face, but animals don't always make it, and at least one of the stories made me outright angry as I read (though not due to anything Peacock did). Still, this is an enjoyable read, and I had to laugh at the antics of the people and animals Peacock met along the way.
The writing of this book is a little stiff at times, but that's to be expected from a first book. Peacock still does a delightful job of bringing the stark beauty of Newfoundland to life, as well as the eccentric and varied characters he deals with on a regular basis. I hope he keeps writing, and settles into his voice.
If you like the work of James Herriot, give "Creatures of the Rock" a shot. Peacock gives us a colorful look at an oft-overlooked corner of the world and its human and critter inhabitants, and isn't afraid to have a chuckle at his own expense. And while it has its sad moments, it's still a funny and heartwarming read.
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