My Family and Other Animals

If you yearn for escapism this January, and the heat, and colour of a Mediterranean island, then why not immerse yourself in Gerald Durrell’s My Family and Other Animals? 

My Family and Other Animals is the first book in The Corfu Trilogy, the inspiration for ITV's The Durrells. Escaping the ills of the British climate, the Durrell family,  with acne-ridden Margo, gun-toting Leslie, bookworm Lawrence, budding naturalist Gerry, along with their long-suffering mother, and Roger the dog - take off for the island of Corfu.

Young Gerry grew up to be a conservationist and wildlife expert, and set up the Durrell Zoo in Jersey.

If you are a fan of the drama, and wondered what happened to the family, we recommend Michael Haag’s absorbing account The Durrells of Corfu.

Michael Haag's book covers the background to the Durrell family's years in Corfu, including their time in India, where all the children were born, and where their father, a brilliant civil engineer, had died. It recalls the real-life characters the Durrells encountered on Corfu, notably the biologist and poet Theodore Stephanides, and the taxi driver, Spiros Halikiopoulos. And Haag tells the story of how the Durrells left Corfu, including Margo's return intent on joining the Greek resistance, and Leslie's romance in England with the family's Corfite maid and friend, Maria Kondos.

Further chapters cover what happened to the family in later life; here, Lawrence and Gerald Durrell's biographies are well known, but little has previously been written of Margo, Leslie and Louisa. Haag has fascinating stories to tell of them all.

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Watch our how to video on Borrowbox. Members of other library authorities will need to log in using a different link.

Submitted by Catriona in Ballymun library.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you yearn for escapism this January, and the heat and colour of a Mediterranean island, the why not immerse yourself in Gerald Durrell’s My Family and Other Animals? 

This fascinating account of his family’s life in Corfu in the 1930s is part of a series of memoirs called The Corfu Trilogy. It was adapted for a very popular TV series called The Durrells (now streaming and repeated on television).

Young Gerry grew up to be a conservationist and wildlife expert, and set up the Durrell Zoo in Jersey. If you are a fan of the drama, and wondered what happened to the family, we recommend Michael Haag’s absorbing account The Durrells of Corfu - also available on Borrowbox. 

Simon Nye's TV series, The Durrells, is based loosely on Gerald Durrell's Corfu Trilogy and in particular his much-loved bestseller, My Family and Other Animals. These books in turn are based somewhat loosely on actual events.

The real-life Durrells went to Corfu at the urging of Lawrence Durrell, who was already living on the island with his wife, Nancy Myers. Their intent was to keep the family together as his mother, Louisa, was drinking heavily and recovering from a breakdown; 'We can be proud of the way we brought her up', Larry said, only half-jokingly, of the family's subsequent Corfu sojourn.

Michael Haag's book covers the background to the Durrell family's years in Corfu, including their time in India, where all the children were born, and where their father, a brilliant civil engineer, had died. It recalls the real-life characters the Durrells encountered on Corfu, notably the biologist and poet Theodore Stephanides, and the taxi driver, Spiros Halikiopoulos. And Haag tells the story of how the Durrells left Corfu, including Margo's return intent on joining the Greek resistance, and Leslie's romance in England with the family's Corfite maid and friend, Maria Kondos.

Further chapters cover what happened to the family in later life; here, Lawrence and Gerald Durrell's biographies are well known, but little has previously been written of Margo, Leslie and Louisa. Haag has fascinating stories to tell of them all.