My Family and Other Animals

Rating:
Summary: why don't i give it 5 stars.
Review: maybe it's just me. well, but I am the one who gives it 3 stars and not 4 or 5. why? I am not into this kind of novels and the only reason why I read it was for school. The plot is so-so. Animals don't interest me. everything was so slow and boring. the plot is tooooo slow for me. I get bored. But what I realy really love is the author's descriptions. oh mi gosh, they have gotta be the best I've ever read. They are so lively. That I found myself writing down all the nice phrases that I like on my notebook. Wow, I never knew that One could like a book and hate is so much at the same time. well, here's the book I've found. Cheers.

Rating:
Summary: All that You Can't Leave Behind
Review: Rarely does a book come along that so moves, embraces, and captivates you that you emerge from the experience a truly changed person. My Family and Other Animals is such a gem. The author graciously transports the reader into the magical childhood world of Gerry Durrell, a British youth whose eccentric family whimsically decides to plop themselves on the Greek Island of Corfu. With the touch of a master sculptor, Durrell crafts the reader into his childhood world, allowing us to experience Gerrys's family, their unusual assortment of visitors, and his relationship to the natural world around him, hilarious episodes and all, with the same kid-wonder that we all sadly abandon upon reaching adolescence. The result is an uproariously funny account (all true, according to Durell), mixed with both the innocence of youth and the literary gifts and hindsight of a perceptive, nature-loving litterateur.

Get this book, read it regularly - and you'll soon notice that both the book and its episodes are things that you simply can't leave behind.

Rating:
Summary: Dysfunction at it's Funniest!
Review: I got hooked on Gerald Durrell because he is a hilarious story teller. This book is by far my favorite. The tale of his childhood is beautifully decriptive and tear-inducingly funny. Sometimes I can't beleive these people survived without killing one another! A patient mother puts up with her very different children: a surly writer, a gun-toting maniac, a whiny and vain girl, and of course, the nature obsessed Gerald. I envy their adventures and mishaps, I wish my childhood was so funny!

Rating:
Summary: an enchanting childhood the whole family can enjoy aloud
Review: our whole family enjoyed this book aloud, and we heartily second all the expressions of enchantment and tears. Our 8 and 11 year olds cried at the dual parting at the end of the book, the Durrells leaving Corfu and yes, the book ending for us. Truth be known, we all had tears.

If you are considering homeschooling, as we do, this book can be reassuring to parents that there can be learning without school. I was proud of my children's appreciation of the book, and felt it set a good and accessible example for them of the wonder with which we can view the world, learning from nature and appreciating the human and other living inhabitants.

The dynamics of the family with each sibling carving out their own niches are lovingly and humorously described and will probably ring true with your own family.

Rating:
Summary: ...like being in Greece...
Review: I can't number the times I've read this book, they're so many... And everytime I found something I hadn't noticed or appreciated before. The story is very simple: a messy and likeable british family that moves to the wonderful island of Corfu in Greece. Each member of the family has its own manias(animals, weapons, cooking, parfumes and literature); their own needs, obsessions and personalities conflict really often and these conflicts lead to the funniest and most unforgettable pages of this enjoyable book. But the very magical characteristic of the book is the power it has to make you feel on your skin the kissing warmth of Corfu, the silence of summer, the chirp of the cicadas and the smell of myrtle. It was just like being there.

Rating:
Summary: A Magical Book
Review: My only regret is that I did not read this book years ago, when Gerald Durrell was living, so I could tell the author how much I love his book. The praises of "My Family and Other Animals" has been sung by many readers. What I would like to add is that Mr. Durrell has a wonderful gift for writing and observation. His book takes us on a journey to the sun-drenched island of Corfu, that for Mr. Durrell is a place near to paradise. The natural world he is surrounded by fascinates him, and the reader, as we are introduced to the varieties of creatures that inhabit the island. We come to appreciate the life that can be found in a ditch filled with water. Then, there are the animals Mr. Durrell collected as pets: Quasimodo the pigeon, Ulysses the owl and the Magenpies. This is to say nothing of his dogs: Roger, Widdle and Puke. I only wish there could have been photographs in this edition.

Coupled with this are wonderful portraits of his mother, two brothers and sister and their sometimes eccentric guests, along with the people of Corfu they meet. From the moment the Durrells arrive on Corfu, followed by a pack of dogs, their adventures are non-stop. One wishes for the chance to have been on Corfu and be able to pay a visit to whatever villa they happened to be living in. "My Family and Other Animals" is a book that you will not want to end.

Rating:
Summary: Movie
Review: It's a wonderful book. For your information there is a movie exectly after the book.I don't think people know about it. Propably you wonder how movie reflects the book. You can buy it here on Amazon.com or some other place. It has the same title "My family and other animals".

Rating:
Summary: This is one of the best books about animals and people
Review: This book is well known in Europe. It is translated on almostall European languages. It is much better than other books aboutanimals. Almost all people whom I know read this book (I am fromEurope). About 50% of them read this book twice.

Humor and deepunderstanding of people and wildlife makes this book thebest. Language is perfect. Stories are fascinating and captivating.

Rating:
Summary: VERY VERY FUNNY...
Review: Gerald writes about his family's advertures and manages to describe each member, including himself, as a very funny character, while still making them look like real people.

Rating:
Summary: I beg you dont bother reading it
Review: OK, well i have been MADE to read this book as a part of my english course. I started off and thought maybe its not that bad....but it is. Its awful. Dont even bother with it, its a waste of important time. So there in your face Gerald Durrell. Cheers