Book Title: My Family and Other Animals
Author: Gerald Durrell
Series: Corfu Trilogy
Genre: Memoir
Summary from Goodreads:
Good Points:When the unconventional Durrell family can no longer endure the damp, grey 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.
This book is an enduring favourite of mine. The vibrantly colourful and eccentric setting totally sweeps you up and doesn’t let go. It has a huge cast of entertaining characters who all contribute to the tapestry of life on the island. The story is also gentle and good-natured, so it’s a wonderful book to pick up if the world is seeming a little bleak. It’s written in quite an episodic way (there are lots of little anecdotes, rather than one main plot), so it’s perfect for dipping in and out of.
You also learn so much by reading it as it’s rich with natural history facts and descriptions of the animal inhabitants of Corfu.
Bad Points:
The book doesn’t shy away from the nastier parts of being a naturalist at the time, so there are a few gruesome scenes involving animals. It’s also a product of its time, so the language and attitudes have to be taken in context.