Birth in a Chicken House: A Collection of Stories by James Lucas, D. V. M.

I was hopeful I'd enjoy this book when I purchased it, and it more than exceeded my expectations. As a physician, I found myself almost entranced as I read about the adventures of Dr. Lucas. The best part is, though, that you don't have to be a vet or a doc to thouroughly love this book.

As a farm kid and a veterinary student, I found this book to be extremely realistic and funny. I enjoyed his stories recalling veterinary school and farm calls. Dr. Lucas tells it how it is. It is a good eye opener for people interested in large animal veterinary medicine and the life one has because of it. If you come from a farm you will certainly enjoy this book.

James Lucas is a seasoned veterinarian playing his trade in southern Iowa for more than 36 years. He kept notes of his experiences with the people and animals he encountered throughout his career. In Birth In A Chicken House, Lucas draws upon those personal reminiscences to spin out his humorous true-life tales that will engage the reader's rapt attention from first page to last. Highly recommended reading for anyone who loves a good yarn well told, Birth In A Chicken House provides perceptive and very funny descriptions of the animals and culture, the beauty and history of a rural farming community, and the dedicated veterinarian that served their needs.

Birth in a Chicken House is a great read for anyone who has experienced life in a rural setting, and it's a must read for anyone in the 50s' plus era. As you read the stories, it's as if Dr. Lucas is sitting across the table from you telling a story. He writes it just like it happened. I found myself laughing out loud many, many times as he related his personal accounts of people and animals...I think almost everyone can identify with his experiences. The short story format makes it a great book for busy people to pick up for a few minutes and read a story. However, once you start reading it, you'll probably not want to put it down.

I enjoyed reading Dr. Lucas' book about life in rural Iowa . The book touched on all the human emotions . I laughed many times throughout the book, yet I also found myself close to tears . Dr. Lucas portrays an honest , uncensored look at life as a veterinarian. A real eye-opener to the good , country life that many people are looking for.