'I was a vet, and my father was a vet. That, in a nutshell, is the story of my life.' But there's so much more to Richard Thomas MRCVS, Penrallt-ddu, Cardigan - or rather Dic the Vet as he's known to all and sundry. And in his down-to-earth and entertaining autobiography, he relates a series of stories that illustrate the comic turn and zest for life that are so typical of one of rural Wales's most popular and larger-than-life characters. His devotion to the agricultural community that he served, like his father before him, for almost forty years, is plain to see on every page, as his concern for the future of that community and its culture. But you can not be in Dic's company for long without laughing out loud. Much in demand as an after-dinner speaker, he has an anecdote, tall tale and joke for every occasion, whether he finds himself up to his wellies on a farmyard, stuck in the front row of a scrum or singing his heart out on stage. Taking Stock is an amusing self-portrait and an affectionate portrayal of a way of life.
