Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

For our patient NF readers, choose your NF title by Gerald Durrell for August - Fillets of Plaice or A Zoo in My Luggage. Both are relatively short at under 200 pages for the 2 linked English editions. They are noted to be humorous biographical works and involve animals. Expect to learn about Durrell's travels, love of a variety of animals, and his family. (If you read another by him, please let us know! Note that some of his works were written and published after 1974.)

Durrell made such an impact as a writer and naturalist that today we have the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust operating the Jersey Zoo, located on the island of Jersey in the English Channel. https://www.durrell.org/ The Trust reflects on him as "a champion of all animals, especially those under threat and over looked by others." He sounds like he was a truly remarkable friend to animals.

I’m planning to listen to A Zoo in My Luggage. Audiobook is the only format my library has. I’ve been meaning to read this book and my Family and Other Animals for awhile. Looking forward to it!

Pam, I hope the narration is good!

Oh my goodness! Im grabbing this book right now!!!

It's been many years since I read A Zoo in My Luggage, so I'm planning to read it this month; a copy is on order. (For a time, charity shops always seemed to have Durrell's books available, but I haven't seen any for a while.)

Samantha wrote: "Pam, I hope the narration is good!"

I hope so too, especially since I don't really like audiobooks. I started listening to one when I walk at the gym and that seems to work for me. My problem with audiobooks is falling asleep so, if I'm moving, I'm good! My problem now is remembering to bring my AirPods with me to the gym! I'm going to start it today.

I've started A Zoo in My Luggage and am enjoying it.

Now I've finished and I think of this as a happy, uplifting book. Durrell "collects" animals with the idea of saving species under threat. His zoo eventually was established on the Channel Island of Jersey and operates to this day.

Kathy wrote: "His zoo eventually was established on the Channel Island o..."

I did not know that Kathy! Wow! Wonder if there is info online about it.

Lesle, his website that I linked at the top of the thread has information about his trust and the zoo. Happy exploring!

I’m 60% done with the audiobook and enjoying it! Does the book have illustrations? I’d love to see pictures of the animals.

The ebook didn’t have illustrations but it had some photos in a section about the author.

Yes, Samantha, that link above has info and photos about the zoo.

...but even better than the illustrations is the legendary Fon of Bafut; once read, never forgotten. (But I wonder how he came across in the audiobook?)

The Fon of Bafut is hilarious.

Thank you Samantha!
Definately will be checking it out.

Im going to start reading this one today!! I am so excited about this read.

I just found the Zoo book for free on Internet Archive so I was able to see the illustrations. I’ve paused listening to it but will get back to it soon! The narrator does a great job with the Fon’s voice.

I like this one. I’m about 80 pages in. It’s a lot of fun but I do, at times, feel for these terrified little animals

I have this here but might not get to it before September.

I finished this one today. Yes, the Fon of Bafut is great! Just the sort that you want at your table at a wedding. The book was really fun and, in my opinion, the correct length for something like this. I love how words and expressions were just used and not explained. No explanations necessary.

It’s only been a few days and I already have my wife calling random things “beef”. “This is good beef”, “we need some beef”. God bless her, how quickly she picks up my insanity and just runs with it.

I just started this last night. I'm enjoying it although I wasn't thrilled by a "weaker sex" comment.

Karin wrote: "I just started this last night. I'm enjoying it although I wasn't thrilled by a "weaker sex" comment."

Blanket statements like "weaker sex" are unfortunate and inaccurate, but these kind of phrases were much more commonplace in decades past. Books are a product of their time - that in which they are written during and about. Reading classics with less educated terminology than we are accustomed to can be jarring to our modern ways of thinking.

Chad wrote: "It’s only been a few days and I already have my wife calling random things “beef”. “This is good beef”, “we need some beef”. God bless her, how quickly she picks up my insanity and just runs with it."

That's hilarious! I thought the term "beef" was funny. I really loved the voice of the narrator when he was reading the Fon's part. I felt like I could picture this over-the-top character. One thing that I didn't understand was why the main character would speak to the locals in pidgin. I kept thinking that if he spoke in regular English that maybe their English would improve.

Has anyone read any other books by Durrell? I'd like to read another one. My mom really enjoyed the TV show The Durrells in Corfu. I only watched the first episode but am thinking about reading the book it's based on or watching the rest of the series or maybe both. I'm so glad that this author was selected because I had been wanting to read something by him and needed that little push.

I am so happy I read this one first of his books. I have several actually.
What a time of grinning...laughing and enjoying this read. I hope to get to another soon!

Yes Chad I can see "Beef" is a fun substitute. Im having scrambled beef with a side of toast for breakfast as I type this!!

I just finished Durrell’s first book, The Overloaded Ark (1953), about a collecting expedition in Cameroon. Loved it, of course. He is such an engaging writer. Many years ago I read Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons (1977).