Lawrence Durrell, el cèlebre escriptor d'El Quartet d'Alexandria, va dir que el seu germà Gerald havia enriquit la literatura amb un llibre veritablement còmic, una «obra mestra d'humor, alegria i poesia». L'autor té una visió unitària del món i dels animals que l'habiten —inclosa la seva família—, al llarg d'un relat que evoca amb intel·ligència i amb una cruel tendresa les peripècies d'un jove aprenent de científic amb una família insòlita que viu en una illa aleshores paradisíaca.
Autor de una nutrida obra que gira en torno a sus experiencias como naturalista y zoólogo, Gerald Durrell es también asiduo escritor de narraciones cortas igualmente impregnadas de su inconfundible talante. En Un novio para mama y otros relatos, ademas del que da titulo al libro -un episodio inedito de los avatares de la familia Durrell en Corfu-, se recogen otros siete cuentos que tocan desde el terror psicologico hasta la divertida peripecia personal.
Con El jardín de los dioses -libro tan ingenioso y apasionante como «Mi familia y otros animales» y «Bichos y demás parientes»- se cierra la divertida trilogía en la que Gerald Durrell rememora su es
A posthumous work from the beloved conservationist and naturalist Gerald Durrell to celebrate the centenary of his birth with a new foreword by HRH Princess Anne Gerald Durrell was magic SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH A wise genial and world encompassing book SUNDAY TIMES Fills important gaps in the biographical narrative Truly there is magic here GUARDIAN Myself and Other Animals is a new book mosaicked from unpublished autobiographies uncollected pieces and previously published extracts from Durrell s work and archives The result is an extraordinary journey through Durrell s life in his own words edited and introduced by his widow Lee Durrell Drawing on a memoir that Durrell started writing before he became too ill to continue it and an unfinished book from a trip to Australia in 1969 to the Great Barrier Reef Northern Territory and Queensland here is the unvarnished story of Durrell s life from touching family tributes to golden bats and pink pigeons Moving from India to England and then to the always sun lit Corfu told with dry wit and insight into our fellow animals here is the vivid finale of one of Britain s most beloved conservationists and prose stylists Funny and readable and hugely charming i One of the finest and most lyrical nature
Journeying to the Cameroons he and his wife, helped by the renowned Fon of Bafut, managed to collect 'plenty beef.' Their difficulties began when they found themselves back at home, with Cholmondely the chimpanzee, Bug-eye the bush-baby, and other founder-members … and nowhere to put them.
Nel 1983 la televisione inglese mando in onda "Il naturalista dilettante", una serie di 13 documentari girati sotto la supervisione di Durrell. Questo libro e la cronaca delle fortunose riprese, durate un anno, che portarono l'autore e la sua troupe dal Canada a Panama, dal Sudafrica alle isole Shetland. Durrell ricrea un suo piccolo, ricchissimo ecosistema itinerante in cui si fondono satira e zoologia, scienze e cabaret: uomini e bestie, colti nel loro ambiente naturale, sono infatti trasferiti in una vera "commedia animale" dove a tutti e riservata una nicchia. Ma Durrell non dimentica di istruire: insegna, per esempio, come girare un documentario e commentarlo con voce ferma a pochi passi da un rinoceronte innervosito.
