La Meva família i altres animals (original 1956; edition 1988)

Gerald Durrel's book is account of his family's 5-year stay in Greek island of Corfu. The strength of this book is detailed, almost lyrical writing that lets you visualize the scene just as it may have been. Book is seasoned with humorous events of his family members each with their eccentric habits and characteristics and peccadilloes of his queer variety of pets.

I can only imagine from the account of book, that 10-year-old Gerry's room was a menagerie of sorts (of course, to the exasperation of the family) - pigeon, tortoise, water-snakes, geckos, magpies, octopus, dragon-fly, butterflies, mantid, terrapin, etc. He also owned 3 dogs (two of them famously named as Widdle and Puke) and a black-backed gull called Alecko.

Of the family members, his mother (to whom the book is dedicated) and 18-year-old sister (who nurses a broken heart for brief period of time in the book) are of sweet disposition; then there is a shooter/hunter Leslie (who takes usual aims at hares, woodcocks, snipes et al) and my favorite character Larry who is resembles delightful, 'spectator' Bongs I have grown up with - kinds who have opinion and knowledge about anything, but can easily sleep through disaster and be non-chalant about it too. Also, they are quick to disdain anyone Else's accomplishments, not out of malice, but because they genuinely believe everything can be easily done. Yet, they can hardly be motivated to try out things themselves.


I found several events in the book involving the family hilarous; Gerald's commentary about his pets and quarry amusing; and most of all I found all the details supplied by him about nature, animals, pets and that era enlightening. I learnt a lot. ( )

1/2010 Review:
I inhabit this book. I walk through the olive groves and swim in the crystal seas of pre-war Corfu. I think I can never go to Greece because of this book. I would want the taxis to be horse-drawn, and the small boys to be ranging freely about the island.

I love so much about this book it's hard to pick and choose. I love that Gerry was so devoted to animals from the very beginning. I love the self-centered, irascible Larry (who grew into the genius Lawrence Durrell). I love Mother, in all her well-meaning but vague glory. And who can forget Theo, the natty naturalist? The people are hilarious, and then just when one is weak from laughing, the viewpoint shifts, and there's a tortoise to observe, a cyclamen to watch bloom or a scorpion to secrete in a matchbox.

This is such a gem.

2/2006 Review:
Perhaps my favorite comfort read. This is the book I turn to when I'm blue and need to laugh. Hilarious chronicle of a budding naturalist and his eccentric family when they are living on the lovely island of Corfu. My favorite part, the part that reminds me most of my own house, my own boy is this:

"Then one day I found a fat female scorpion in the wall wearing what at first glance appeared to be a pale fawn fur coat. Closer inspection proved that this strange garment was made up of a mass of tiny babies clinging to the mother's back. I was enraptured by this family, and I made up my mind to smuggle them into the house and up to my bedroom so that I might keep them and watch them grow up. With infinite care I manoeuvred the mother and family into a matchbox, and then hurried to the villa. It was rather unfortunate that just as I entered the door lunch should be served; however I placed the match box carefully on the mantelpiece in the drawing-room, so that the scorpions should get plenty of air, and made my way to the dining-room and joined the family for the meal. Dawdling over my food, feeding Roger surreptitiously under the table and listening to the family arguing, I completely forgot about my exciting new captures. At last Larry, having finished, fetched the cigarettes from the drawing-room, and lying back in his chair he put one in his mouth and picked up the matchbox he had brought. Oblivious of my impending doom I watched him interestedly as, still talking glibly, he opened the matchbox.

Now I maintain to this day that the female scorpion meant no harm. She was agitated and a trifle annoyed at being shut up in a matchbox for so long, and so she seized the first opportunity to escape. She hoisted herself out of the box with great rapidity, her babies clinging on desperately, and scuttled on to the back of Larry's hand. There, not quite certain what to do next, she paused, her sting curved up at the ready. Larry, feeling the movement of her claws, glanced down to see what it was, and from that moment things got increasingly confused.

He uttered a roar of fright that made Lugaretzia drop a plate and brought Roger out from beneath the table, barking wildly. With a flick of his hand he sent the unfortunate scorpion flying down the table, and she landed midway between Margo and Leslie, scattering babies like confetti as she thumped on the cloth. Thoroughly enraged at this treatment, the creature sped towards Leslie, her sting quivering with emotion. Leslie leapt to his feet, overturning his chair and flicked out desperately with his napkin, sending the scorpion rolling across the cloth towards Margo, who promptly let out a scream that any railway engine would have been proud to produce. Mother, completely bewildered by this sudden and rapid change from peace to chaos, put on her glasses and peered down the table to see what was causing the pandemonium, and at that moment Margo, in a vain attempt to stop the scorpion's advance, hurled a glass of water at it. The shower missed the animal completely, but successfully drenched Mother, who, not being able to stand cold water, promptly lost her breath and sat gasping at the end of the table, unable even to protest. The scorpion had now gone to ground under Leslie's plate, while her babies swarmed wildly all over the table. Roger, mystified by the panic, but determined to do his share, ran around and round the room, barking hysterically.

"It's that bloody boy again ..." bellowed Larry.

"Look out! Look out! They're coming!" screamed Margo.

"All we need is a book," roared Leslie; "don't panic, hit 'em with a book."

"What on earth's the matter with you all?" Mother kept imploring, mopping her glasses.

"It's that bloody boy ... he'll kill the lot of us ... Look at the table ... knee deep in scorpions ..."

"Quick ... quick ... do something ...Look out, look out!"

"Stop screeching and get me a book, for God's sake ... You're worse than the dog ... Shut up, Roger ..."

"By the Grace of God I wasn't bitten ..."

"Look out ... there's another one ... Quick ... quick..."

"Oh, shut up and get me a book or something ... "

"But how did the scorpions get on the table, dear?"

"That bloody boy ... Every matchbox in the house is a deathtrap ..."

"Look out, it's coming towards me ... Quick, quick, do something ..."

"Hit it with your knife ... your knife ... Go on, hit it ..."

Since no one bothered to explain things to him, Roger was under the mistaken impression that the family was being attacked, and that it was his duty to defend them. As Lugaretzia was the only stranger in the room, he came to the logical conclusion that she must be the responsible party, so he bit her on the ankle. This did not help matters very much.

By the time a certain amount of order had been restored, all the baby scorpions had hidden themselves under various plates and bits of cutlery. Eventually, after impassioned pleas on my part, backed up by Mother, Leslie's suggestion that the whole lot be slaughtered was quashed. While the family, still simmering with rage and fright, retired to the drawing-room, I spent half an hour rounding up the babies ..."

MY FAMILY AND OTHER ANIMALS © Gerald Durrell 1956 ( )

Charming, lyrical writing. Descriptions of humans are great -- and of nature are marvelous -- exemplifying how writing can create a rich illustration. Although there is not a single photograph in this book, I often felt as though I was gazing at pictures or a video.

I gave this book a 3, because the story was not a plot per se. Primarily, it served as a loose framework upon which the author created accounts of the fauna his protagonist observed.

Read 132 of 273 pages. That sufficed. ( )

I really enjoyed this memoir although I'm not sure how true-to-life it was! It reminded me a bit of James Herriot's memoirs... very similar blend of animals & humor. ( )

Reading this helped ease the pain of a sprained ankle and gave me something to focus on other than the zaniness of the end of the school year. I wish I could go to Corfu this summer to see some of the scenery that is so well described in the book. I loved the way the author used references to nature in his descriptive language. The stories of the animal antics were the best part of the book to me, but the dialogue between his family members came a close second. The description of the different ways each person got ready for events like moving or eating breakfast said more about them than a 'normal' description. Loved the book, will definitely look for others by the author. ( )