My Family and Other Animals

"My Family and Other Animals is an absolute classic. It is a memoir of Gerald Durrell’s childhood – when his family moved to Corfu in 1930. It is crawling with creatures and childlike wonder, and has a fascinating cast of characters, from the madcap Durrell family to a crew of Corfiots who bring to life the island and its traditions and culture. The island itself is like a living entity. Durrell talks about the magic of it settling on them as gently and clingingly as pollen. The magic settles on the reader, too. My favourite episode is when the family are having an after-dark picnic and suddenly dolphins appear and they’re dancing in the phosphorescence. Is it true? Is it wildly exaggerated? When it’s this much fun to read, who cares?"