Escaping the ills of the British climate, the Durrell family - acne-ridden Margo, gun-toting Leslie, bookworm Lawrence and budding naturalist Gerry, along with their long-suffering mother and Roger the dog - take off for the island of Corfu.
In a series of colourful villas, the Durrells give a sometimes reluctant home to a trail of local fauna, among them scorpions, geckos, toads, bats and butterflies. Recounted with immense humour and charm, this is a wonderful account of a rare and magical childhood.
My Family and Other Animals
My Family and Other Animals is an autobiographical work by world famous naturalist Gerald Durrell; it's a wonderful account of a 10-year old boy's unconventional childhood years in Corfu. When the Durrell family can no longer endure damp climate, they do what any sensible English family would do: sell their house and relocate to the sun with a zoological menagerie of puppies, toads, scorpions, geckoes, ladybugs, glowworms, octopuses, bats, and butterflies.
Cross between Roald Dahl's 'Boy' and an Attenborough documentary, this delightfully amusing account of an eclectic family is a fantastic read for young mischievous animal lovers and those longer in the tooth. - Sarah
Marion, 10/05/2016
