Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #89912 in Books
• Published on: 1973-02-22
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
As a self-described "champion of small uglies," Gerald Durrell (1925-1995) devoted his life to writing and the preservation of wildlife, from the Mauritius pink pigeon to the Rodriques fruit bat. My Family and Other Animals was intended to embrace the natural history of the Greek island of Corfu, but ended up as a delightful account of his family's experiences that were, according to him, "rather like living in one of the more flamboyant and slapstick comic operas".

As a 10-year-old boy, Gerry left England for Corfu with "all those items that I thought necessary to relieve the tedium of a long journey: four books on natural history, a butterfly net, a dog, and a jam-jar full of caterpillars all in imminent danger of turning into chrysalids". Durrell's descriptions of his family and its many eccentric hangers-on (he stresses that "all the anecdotes about the island and the islanders are absolutely true") are highly entertaining, as is the procession of toads, scorpions, geckos, ladybugs, glowworms, octopuses, the puppies Widdle and Puke, and the Magenpies. This is a lovely book. --Christine Buttery

Synopsis
The author relates his memories of a five-year sojourn with his family on the island of Corfu when he was a boy, describing in detail the procession of wild animals he brought back to the family's villa to study.

Customer Reviews

A book reread over and over
I first read this book when I was ten years old, and it has never stopped entertaining me. With Spiro's language, and his daring theft of the King of Greece's goldfish, Larry's extreme hilarious selfishness, to the picnic with the 'magenpies' causing havoc, not to mention the French language tutoring, this book is studded with great stories of a budding naturist. It is surely one of my all time favourite Durrell books.

BRILLIANT GERALD DURRELL SHOWS TALENT AND FUN.
Gerald durrell (in my opinion) is the best author in the world, even though he has sadly passed away his novels still live, Hilarious my family and other animals I found very exciting, interesting and enjoying. If you like this book you will love all the other books written. From Corfu to Bourmouth is sure to make your sides split. ps. hope you enjoy the book.

dream-esque
This is such simple yet wonderful book. It really does transport you into a world of dreams, hilarious oddities and unfazed youthfull dreams. Including heart-warming and trully individual characters, through the eyes of an endearing young boy, this creation of loveliness is a must for anyone who still remenices over hazy childhood summers with a rush of happiness.