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We first encounter the memorable Durrell family in Gerald Durrell's immortal My Family and Other Animals when, as a small child, he moves to the island of Corfu with his single mother and siblings just before World War II. Here we meet, for the first time, the whole Durrell gang: the overbearing and insufferably clever older brother, Lawrence; sister Margo, whose genius for the wrong word is only matched by her obsession with her complexion and weight and her interest in boys; brother Leslie, whose primary passion in life appears to be firearms and the eradication of the local wildlife; and the ever-patient and forbearing mother, who tries desperately to hold this household of clever and determined souls together. In addition, there are the local characters: Spiro, the loyal family retainer and go-to guy when the inevitable emergency arises; Theodore, the brilliant, if slightly eccentric, teacher and companion; and, of course, the two family dogs, Widdle and Puke. But beyond the wildly funny moments, the stream of exotic visitors, and the inevitable adventures, we can see the making of a world-class naturalist, a young boy, not even in his teens, intrigued, in fact seduced, by the animals that surround him - lizards and snakes, birds and amphibians - all observed with curiosity, recorded with accuracy, and often (to everyone's disapproval) transported home for further observation. This is really the story of a youngster who has the good fortune to discover his passion early in life, along with the ability to impart it to the reader with charm, humor, and infectious enthusiasm. Book jacket.
