Living in Corfu was a bit like stepping into one of those opulent, whimsical operas. It’s the year 1935. The Durrells are fed up with the British climate. So what could be more natural than to emigrate? Thus, ten-year-old Gerry, along with his three siblings and mother Louisa, turns his back on England and enters a magical world that will be formative for the entire family: the Greek island of Corfu.

In his literary memoirs, Gerald Durrell recounts how his appreciation for nature blossomed. He makes both insightful and humorous observations about people and animals, the quirky locals, the delightful eccentricities of his family, and the animal guests in their home.