Enjoy the book very much!
Review first published on my blog: http://memoriesfrombooks.blogspot.com/2013/07/my-family-and-other-animals.html
My Family and Other Animals is a memoir of the time Gerald Durrell and his family lived in Corfu, Greece. The family - Mother of uncertain age, Larry at age 23, Leslie at age 19, Margo at age 18, and Gerald at age 10 - tire of the English climate and decide to relocate to the Greek isle of Corfu. The book is a condensed description of the five years they live in Greece before returning to England.
The books co-mingles two purposes. First is a fictionalized and humorous account of their family life in Corfu. Second is a description of the some of the flora and fauna of Corfu which goes along with Gerald Durrell's work as a naturalist.
The account of the Durrell family is a liberalized, fictionalized version of their stay. The characters are true but exaggerated. The events and chronology are mixed to make a good story, "in order to compress five years .... into something a little less lengthy than the Encyclopedia Britannica." The eccentric characters are fun though. Larry is the budding writer. Margo is a teenage girl concerned about her appearance and her social life. Spiro is the taxi-driver they meet upon first arriving and who becomes a friend. Dr. Stephanides is the scholar who tutors Gerald and perhaps triggers his work as a naturalist. Gerald discovers his love for animals and the natural world.
The descriptions of the flora and fauna come through some of the pets that join the family. Roger the dog, Quasimodo the pigeon, Alecko the gull along with spiders, tortoises, birds, and other creatures become a part of this family's life. The book spends considerable time on the descriptions surrounding these creatures.
My biggest issue with the book was that of writing style. The book is very descriptive in nature. As such, I had difficulty staying engaged in the story. After a while, I found myself skimming through the descriptions to the parts that move the story forward. The story itself is told with humor and fun.
This book has been made into a movie and theater production. This is one instance I think that watching the story may be more fun than reading it.
I really enjoyed this book. It is a delightful story of the author's early years spent on the island of Corfu. His stories about his family and all the animals/insects on the island will keep you laughing and wanting to read more of his books.
If you've never read Durrell before - be prepared. This guy is wild, wacky, and wonderful. And so, apparently, is his family. A must for those who loved animals from the time the first bug crawled into your cradle.
This is one of the greatest childhood memoirs that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Durrell's insatiable curiousity for exploring nature reminded me of my own youthful outdoor meanderings. If you are a wildlife enthusiast, then this is a must read! I thoroughly enjoyed every anecdote. In fact, I am not willing to repost this treasure because I want to keep it in my collection forever.
