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Ratings: ★★★★★ (4.7/5)
Genre: Autobiography / Humor / Nature Writing

Book Review:
''After the unfortunate affair of the scorpion, the family had given me a large room in which to house my beasts.'' So begins one of the funniest, warmest, most delightful books ever written—Gerald Durrell's classic memoir of a childhood spent on the Greek island of Corfu.

When ten-year-old Gerald's eccentric family decides to escape the dreary English weather for the sun-drenched shores of Corfu, they have no idea what they're in for. Gerald, you see, is obsessed with animals. Not just dogs and cats, but scorpions, geckos, snakes, spiders, and any creature he can catch, collect, and bring home. His family—the intellectual Larry, the gun-obsessed Leslie, the diet-obsessed Margo, and the long-suffering Mother—must learn to live with a constantly expanding menagerie. A scorpion in a matchbox, a snake in the bath, a family of owls in the wardrobe—these are just the beginning.

What follows is a series of hilarious adventures and misadventures as young Gerald explores the island's wonders. He befriends local characters like the gondola-riding Theodore and the colorful Spiro, learns to fish and hunt, and observes the natural world with a scientist's eye and a poet's wonder. Meanwhile, his siblings pursue their own eccentric paths, leading to endless family dramas that Durrell recounts with affectionate humor.

But this book is more than just a comedy. It's a love letter to Corfu—its sun-drenched landscapes, its crystal-clear waters, its vibrant wildlife, its warm-hearted people. Durrell's prose is so vivid you can almost feel the Mediterranean sun on your skin, smell the wild herbs, and hear the cicadas buzzing.

And it's also a meditation on childhood wonder. Young Gerald's passion for nature is infectious. You'll find yourself caring as much about the fate of a baby scorpion as he does, laughing at the antics of his dogs, and marveling at the beauty of a butterfly's wings.

This Puffin edition is perfect for young readers discovering Durrell for the first time or for adults returning to an old friend. ''My Family and Other Animals'' is a book that will make you laugh out loud, warm your heart, and maybe even inspire you to look more closely at the natural world around you. Absolutely unmissable.