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All People Great and Small
In the tradition of the James Herriot classic All Creatures Great and Small, a heartfelt coming-of-age story of small-town life, young love, and the human condition in the American Midwest of the 1970s.
When newly minted doctor Robert Bradley set out for his first medical post in the windswept plains of Kansas, he thought he was simply beginning a career. What he found instead was a calling—and a love story that would shape his life.
In All People Great and Small, Bradley recounts the making of a doctor, with all the tenderness, humor, and humility of a man discovering both medicine and himself. From the dusty roads of Norton, Kansas, to the high mountain villages of Guatemala, he brings to life a world where a country doctor’s word was often the only hope.
Through vivid scenes and unforgettable patients—a young mother in peril, a rancher too proud to rest, a breast cancer sufferer determined to live and die on her own terms—Bradley reveals the quiet heroism of rural medicine. But amid the births, losses, and long nights on call runs another thread: his deepening love for Eve, a nurse whose own journey through hardship and faith mirrors his own.
With the storytelling grace of James Herriot and the soul of an American pastoral, All People Great and Small is a timeless tale of service, sacrifice, and the search for meaning in work and in love. It reminds us that healing is not only what doctors do—it’s who they are.
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“With a wink to All Creatures Great and Small, this wonderful memoir of a young doctor’s dedication takes us around the world and back. Not only do we develop a love for the kind, generous, and funny characters who accompany him, but we begin to understand his heart. An unassuming, warm, and subtle rendition of a life well-lived, I was riveted from the very first moment.”
Kate Snodgrass, professor emerita of the Practice of Playwriting, Boston University
Meet Robert Bradley, MD
Robert Bradley is the pen name of Robert Bettis, MD, a cofounder of Edmonds Family Medicine in Edmonds, Washington, who is retired after forty years as a board-certified physician.
In addition to practicing medicine, he has taught part-time at the University of Washington and in 1986 was recognized as the university’s Family Medicine Teacher of the Year. He has received multiple honors for his work in diabetes care—the patient-centered medical home practice model, physician practice connections, and CMS meaningful use—among other distinctions bestowed by leading medical organizations.
He has also participated in numerous clinical trials, published a significant number of articles for medical journals, and volunteered for more than ten missions with the group Healing the Children, which provides access to quality medical care for underserved children around the world.
He was born in Wichita, Kansas, in 1947 and holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Wichita State University and an MD from the University of Kansas.
When he’s not writing, he is an avid traveler and outdoorsman, enjoying skiing, golfing, scuba diving, sailing, and horseback riding.
Praise for
All People Great and Small
“Physician, surgeon, internationally recognized humanitarian, and consummate storyteller Dr. Robert Bradley tells us the struggles and successes of balancing a passion for a medical career with personal love. It’s a story of doing good while doing well. No TV tonight; this story is much more riveting.”
Bruce Burditt, former chief of the Office of Financial and Investment Management, Kansas Department of Transportation
“With a wink to All Creatures Great and Small, this wonderful memoir of a young doctor’s dedication takes us around the world and back. Not only do we develop a love for the kind, generous, and funny characters who accompany him, but we begin to understand his heart. An unassuming, warm, and subtle rendition of a life well-lived, I was riveted from the very first moment.”
Kate Snodgrass, professor emerita of the Practice of Playwriting, Boston University
“I have known Bob Bradley for over forty years, since we were in a family medicine residency together. [In] All People Great and Small, I particularly enjoyed that it intertwined real-life medicine into an enjoyable and relatable story. It is an interesting and informative novel.”
Richard Starkey, MD, family medicine physician
“Physician, surgeon, internationally recognized humanitarian, and consummate storyteller Dr. Robert Bradley tells us the struggles and successes of balancing a passion for a medical career with personal love. It’s a story of doing good while doing well. No TV tonight; this story is much more riveting.”
—Bruce Burditt, former chief of the Office of Financial and Investment Management, Kansas Department of Transportation
“From country doctor to global medical leader, Dr. Bob Bradley has served thousands of patients in his family medicine clinic and around the world. Tens of thousands of patients have benefited from his teaching. . . . This engaging, fictionalized account of his start as a country doctor helps us understand where his greatness came from and hopefully will encourage others to follow his path of service.”
Rob Gertler, MD, PHD, associate professor, University of Washington
“Physician and surgeon Robert Bradley takes readers through the early, defining experiences of a young doctor in rural settings. His descriptions are revealing of the complicated, varied, and often life-threatening situations encountered by a newly minted physician. The reader will not only enjoy the storytelling but will also emerge with some medical knowledge!”
Catharine Morehead, manager, Chelan Valley Community Nurses Program
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