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My family and other animals (A Viking largetype book)

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My Family and Other Animals Paperback – June 29, 2004

by Gerald Durrell (Author)

4.5 8,293 ratings

Book 1 of 3: The Corfu Trilogy

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The first book in Gerald Durrell's Corfu Trilogy: a bewitching account of a rare and magical childhood on the island of Corfu, which was the inspiration for the Masterpiece PBS series The Durrells in Corfu.

When the unconventional Durrell family can no longer endure the damp, gray English climate, they do what any sensible family would do: sell their house and relocate to the sunny Greek isle of Corfu. My Family and Other Animals was intended to embrace the natural history of the island but ended up as a delightful account of Durrell’s family’s experiences, from the many eccentric hangers-on to the ceaseless procession of puppies, toads, scorpions, geckoes, ladybugs, glowworms, octopuses, bats, and butterflies into their home.

Book 1 of 3

The Corfu Trilogy
Print length

288 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Penguin Books
Publication date

June 29, 2004
Dimensions

5.1 x 0.78 x 7.8 inches
ISBN-10

0142004413
ISBN-13

978-0142004418
Lexile measure

1140L
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Popular Highlights in this book

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Gradually the magic of the island settled over us as gently and clingingly as pollen. Each day had a tranquillity, a timelessness, about it, so that you wished it would never end. But then the dark skin of night would peel off and there would be a fresh day waiting for us, glossy and colourful as a child’s transfer and with the same tinge of unreality.
Highlighted by 372 Kindle readers
Larry, the eldest, was twenty-three; Leslie was nineteen; Margo eighteen; while I was the youngest, being of the tender and impressionable age of ten.
Highlighted by 309 Kindle readers
Aspirin is so good for roses. Drachma pieces for the chrysanthemums, aspirin for roses, brandy for sweet peas, and a squeeze of lemon-juice for the fleshy flowers, like begonias.
Highlighted by 283 Kindle readers

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A lot of frolic, fun, and charming ribaldry, as well as the warm feeling of having been transported to a lovely spot where worry is unknown and anything is believable."-The New York Times

"A most enjoyable idyll." -The New Yorker

About the Author

Gerald Durrell was a British naturalist, writer, zookeeper, conservationist, and television presenter born in Jamshedpur, India, in 1925. A student of zoology, he founded the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust on the Channel Island of Jersey. He wrote many books about his life as an animal collector and enthusiast, the most famous being My Family and Other Animals, which was the inspiration for the Masterpiece PBS series The Durrells in Corfu. He passed away in 1995.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Books; Reprint edition (June 29, 2004)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0142004413
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0142004418
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1140L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.1 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.1 x 0.78 x 7.8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #29,349 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #67 in Scientist Biographies
- #89 in Traveler & Explorer Biographies
- #1,010 in Memoirs (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 8,293 ratings

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Gerlad Malcolm Durrell
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Customer reviews

8,293 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Customers say

Customers find the book endearing, enjoyable, and vivid. They appreciate the subtle humor throughout and the irreverent author. Readers describe the story as delightful, interesting, and amazing. They find the content fascinating, informative, and diverting. They also find the characters and creatures enjoyable. However, some find the story boring, uninspiring, and not what they expected.

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Enjoyment Humor Story quality Enlightened content Character development Age range Pacing Interest

241 customers mention "Enjoyment"241 positive0 negative

Customers find the book endearing, beautiful, and entertaining. They appreciate the vivid, descriptive, and magical descriptions of the island. Readers also mention the cover is a treat for the eyes and the flora and fauna are incredible.

"...It is charming, engaging, and highly diverting. The book is set in the middle 1930’s and that adds interest. It is not remotely dated...." Read more

"...becomes part of the story and part of the joy of reading this wonderful book. I stumbled across this book reading reviews on Amazon...." Read more

"...The descriptions of the flora and fauna were incredible. The human characters weren’t as full as the natural history." Read more

"...I was impressed by the detailed descriptions found in this book...." Read more

190 customers mention "Humor"177 positive13 negative

Customers find the humor in the book subtle, with moments of beauty and humor in every chapter. They also appreciate the author's irreverence and lyrical, almost poetic writing style. Readers also mention the book is family-friendly and the author is a great writer.

"...The language is beautiful and evocative without ever being pretentious. He has a wonderful talent for writing humor...." Read more

"One of the very few times I've found a book advertised as funny truly is funny...." Read more

"...It has a number of hilarious anecdotes, and the author is very irreverent in descriptions of his family members, including his brother, author..." Read more

"...'s writing is entertaining as well as vivid-- and the best, descriptive writing I have read in years. I look forward to reading more of his works." Read more

75 customers mention "Story quality"72 positive3 negative

Customers find the stories delightful, interesting, and entertaining. They say the book demonstrates a refreshing sense of wonder on the part of a child about the natural world.

"...There's such an innocent sweetness to the story, and little Gerry is an adventurous, cheerfully subversive individual...." Read more

"...eagerly reopen so you can continue the delightful, comical and charming story of a boy who loved all living things on this sun-kissed island during..." Read more

"...Between the soothing English accent and beloved story - it helps me drop off in no time. It is like a child's bedtime story to me." Read more

"Terrific story of an eccentric family living in Corfu Greece...." Read more

67 customers mention "Enlightened content"67 positive0 negative

Customers find the content fascinating, informative, and diverting. They say the book is beautiful and pulls the reader into the life on Corfu. Readers also mention the book has much natural history information and is uplifting.

"...It is charming, engaging, and highly diverting. The book is set in the middle 1930’s and that adds interest. It is not remotely dated...." Read more

"...makes the bugs and other things that might seem disgusting to some, fascinating. It is learning at its best." Read more

"...I find it has lost none of it's enchantment overthe years, in fact, because it of a simpler time, it may be even more enjoyable...." Read more

"...the beautiful Oak-leaf entwined end-paper, gild-edged pages to the thoughful, timeless silver-blue satin ribbon bound into the spine to "keep you..." Read more

16 customers mention "Character development"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters and creatures enjoyable, unforgettable, and colorful. They also appreciate the author's descriptions of animals.

"...The antics of his family and the animals are uproariously funny. Warning: some of the animals don't survive; such is life...." Read more

"...I enjoyed every word and the characters are fabulous!" Read more

"...The personalities of the animals are unforgettable. Where else can you read about an epic battle between a gekko and praying mantis?..." Read more

"...The writing is poetic, beautiful. The characters are engaging. You'll care about them. That it's a true story just makes it all the better...." Read more

14 customers mention "Age range"14 positive0 negative

Customers find the book wonderful for all ages. They say it's an excellent coming-of-age memoir set in the Island of Corfu, prewar. Readers also mention it'll bring them back to their childhood.

"...advocate and conservationist, and this is a very fun memoir of his unorthodox childhood and the attempts of his various tutors to give him a solid..." Read more

"...There's such an innocent sweetness to the story, and little Gerry is an adventurous, cheerfully subversive individual...." Read more

"...Not only is this an excellent book, enjoyed by teenagers and adults alike, but this British publication is beautiful: it is a small book with a..." Read more

"...Wonderful book for all ages, though." Read more

11 customers mention "Pacing"7 positive4 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book. Some mention it's amusing and typical of Gerald Durrell's work, while others say it'll be tedious at times.

"...It is also a testament to unique, sometimes eccentric forms of schooling outside the usual formats...." Read more

"...text describing plants, insects and small animals too slow and all-consuming for me...." Read more

"...Take it on a journey to read while travelling. It's easy to pick up and put down with out loosing where you are in the story." Read more

"...Really - what a charmed and amazing live he led! Highly recommended." Read more

18 customers mention "Interest"5 positive13 negative

Customers find the book boring, uninspiring, and not what they expected. They say the content is not what is expected, and the book is a waste of time and money. Readers also mention there isn't a lot of action and no plot.

"...I haven't yet finished it. It doesn't always hold my interest but yet I don't want to quit reading it...." Read more

"...There isn't a lot of action, as the book is more like a memoir than a novel..." Read more

"...It is charming, engaging, and highly diverting. The book is set in the middle 1930’s and that adds interest. It is not remotely dated...." Read more

"...doesn't prevent the narration to become slightly repetitive and boring after a while." Read more

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Constant Reader

Charming, Well-Written, Engaging

Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2022

Verified Purchase

What a delightful surprise this book was! We loved the Durrells in Corfu on Masterpiece Theater, but it never occurred to me that little Gerry who spent much of his boyhood running wild around the island would be such a gifted writer. The language is beautiful and evocative without ever being pretentious. He has a wonderful talent for writing humor. Granted he, his family, and the inhabitants of Cordu provide ample source material for the humor but writing it down in a way that can delight a reader and inspire laughter takes talent. The book covers part of the time that the British Durrell family (widowed mother Louise and her four children) lived on the island of Corfu. It is charming, engaging, and highly diverting. The book is set in the middle 1930’s and that adds interest. It is not remotely dated. I can practically guarantee that you will finish this book and feel less stress and anxiety than you did before you read it. And, if you are like me, you will plunge forward into the rest of the trilogy.

11 people found this helpful

Helpful

Serena

A Most Wonderful and Funny Book

Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2017

Verified Purchase

One of the very few times I've found a book advertised as funny truly is funny. The reader of today may find the flowery, descriptive writing a little old fashioned, but that eventually becomes part of the story and part of the joy of reading this wonderful book. I stumbled across this book reading reviews on Amazon. If I agree with what a reviewer says about a book I read I will often look to see what else he enjoyed and possibly buy it. That method usually works very well.

A couple of things I learned elsewhere: Gerald Durrell is the younger brother of the famous writer, Lawrence Durrell who is "Larry" in this book. Apparently, during the time this book covers, Larry was married and eventually moved out of the house with his wife. Gerald never mentions any of that--he just makes Larry look like an overbearing, self involved jerk. Later, when Lawrence wrote a biographical book he rarely mentions his younger brother. Interesting.

I have the two other books in the Corfu Trilogy, but will save them for the times I need to laugh while I read.

5 people found this helpful

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Mamabotanica

A delightful story!

Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2023

Verified Purchase

This was a mostly entertaining read. I had co flicking feelings about Gerald’s fascination with animals. He loved them but (at this age anyway) in a very possessive way. It also made me wistful for the way the Island was when he lived there. The descriptions of the flora and fauna were incredible. The human characters weren’t as full as the natural history.

Helpful

Melissa Jo Sites

Hilarious and makes you want more

Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2019

Verified Purchase

I was recommended this book to read on a trip to Greece. It has a number of hilarious anecdotes, and the author is very irreverent in descriptions of his family members, including his brother, author Lawrence Durrell. I laughed out loud many times. As a boy the author lived on the Greek island of Corfu for five years with his mother and three siblings. While he was there he spent most of his time studying and catching wild animals. The antics of his family and the animals are uproariously funny. Warning: some of the animals don't survive; such is life. Also, his brother Leslie is portrayed as an avid hunter and gun enthusiast, so if hunting shocks or offends you, it does occur in this book. The author grew up to be a respected wildlife advocate and conservationist, and this is a very fun memoir of his unorthodox childhood and the attempts of his various tutors to give him a solid educational grounding when all he wants to do is run around the island trying to catch animals. It is not meant to be a natural history of Corfu but more the adventures of a curious boy and his growing numbers of animal companions. It paints a glowing picture of the free rambles of a boy set loose on an unspoiled Greek island before 1939, when the family returned to England.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Christine McDaniel

An Anglophile Growing Up in Greece

Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2018

Verified Purchase

Who among us doesn't believe we have grown up in a zoo? Every family has its eccentric members, and the Durrell family is no exception.

Emigrating from frigid Great Britain to the balmy shores of Corfu in 1935, ten-year-old Gerry details his growing interest in the biology of plants and animals. His family consists of an extremely tolerant widowed mother, oldest brother and aspiring author, Larry, aged twenty-three, brother, Larry, fascinated by guns, aged nineteen, and sister, Molly, obsessed with her complexion, aged eighteen. Roger, a faithful canine, comes from England with Gerry, and is a constant companion and witness to Gerry's adventures. Gerry introduces us to the residents of Corfu who influence the family, to the lengthy list of tutors who aid in Gerry's education, and to the series of houses that affect the family.

I was impressed by the detailed descriptions found in this book. Gerry has incredible powers of observation whether they be scientific descriptions of sea life, the behavior of a species of bird, or the emotional reactions of family members to a particular event. All events are related with great respect and admiration yet with the detailed eye of a scientist.

I can enthusiastically endorse this book which is NOT a work of fiction. I have just purchased the second book of this trilogy and can't wait to get started.

2 people found this helpful

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Jennie

Charming & funny book.

Reviewed in Canada on December 10, 2022

Verified Purchase

This has always been a great favourite . This particular edition is beautiful and has a lovely vintage look to it. Good for all ages.

Cliente de Amazon

se los recomiendo

Reviewed in Mexico on August 6, 2022

Verified Purchase

había visto algunos episodios de la serie televisiva y me encantó....el libro igualmente. La presentación del este libro en especial me pareció excelente. Ando buscando otros de esta misma editorial porque valen la pena.

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