Literary Caricature
When Wight's first book was published, Donald was apparently most offended by his portrayal, saying "Alfred, this book is a real test of our friendship." (He never called Wight 'Alf' - mirrored in the books by Siegfried always referring to Herriot as "James" rather than "Jim".) Things calmed down, however, and the pair continued to work together until they retired. Opinion is divided as to whether Sinclair was as eccentric in reality as Siegfried was portrayed in the books, but it seems likely that even if his character was exaggerated, he was unique. One recurrent theme in Herriot's stories was Siegfried's criticism of James' flaws, such as forgetting appointments or leaving tools behind after calls, only to find that Siegfried is found guilty of the same things. Sinclair always refused to accept he was eccentric. However, former clients and colleagues, as well as Alfred Wight's own son in the book The Real James Herriot, stated that Sinclair's character in the novels was considerably toned down and that Sinclair was more eccentric than the Herriot books portrayed.
Read more about this topic: Donald Sinclair (veterinary Surgeon)
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