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.

My book arrived quicker than I expected and in good condition. And it was very cheap.

Kudos to the seller. The book was even nicer than described. The condition is excellent. It arrived very quickly, just a few days after I ordered it, and I've just started to read it, but it's enjoyable already -- even the introduction is funny. I saw the Amazon Prime video series, so I know what to expect, and from what I've read so far, I am very pleased. Thank you !!!

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.

Book is beautiful and content is great!