My Family and Other Animals

Gerald Durrell

Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated, 2004 - Biography & Autobiography - 273 pages

When the 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 sun-soaked Greek island of Corfu. Through glorious silver-and-green olive groves and across brilliant tusk-white beaches, ten-year-old Gerry, the youngest of the four Durrell children, pursues his interest in natural history with a joyful passion, revealing the engrossing hidden world of the island's fauna. Many hilarious mishaps ensue as each of Gerry's new animal friends is installed in the family villa. Water snakes recuperate from heat stroke in the bathtub, matchboxes are filled with scorpions, and a pair of rowdy magpies make short order of everything from elaborate dinner spreads to Lawrence's prized manuscript to the patience of the family puppies, Widdle and Puke. Toads and tortoises, bats and butterflies, scorpions and geckos, ladybugs, praying mantises, octopuses, pigeons, and gulls are only some of the animals lovingly described in Durrell's classic tale of his childhood island home.

What people are saying

Review: My Family and Other Animals (Corfu Trilogy)

User Review  - Carolyn Wong - Goodreads

I absolutely loved this book for its combination of science and family tales. Durrell's family and the animals that he collects have the most hilarious antics, and the vocabulary was great. I love ...

Review: My Family and Other Animals (Corfu Trilogy)

User Review  - Lydia - Goodreads

Really enjoyed this. An easy, relaxed read. Also, he mentioned lacewing flies! Didn't know they were a real thing! I remember them from Harry Potter.

About the author

Gerald Durrell was born in Jamshedpur, India, in 1925. A student of zoology, he founded the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust on the Channel Island of Jersey. His other books include A Zoo in My Luggage and The Whispering Land (both available from Penguin).

Bibliographic information

• Title: My Family and Other Animals
• Author: Gerald Durrell
• Edition: reprint
• Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated, 2004
• ISBN: 0142004413, 9780142004418
• Length: 273 pages
• Subjects: Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs; Biography & Autobiography / Science & Technology; Travel / General