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Beasts in My Belfry
A hilarious record that no Durrell fan will want to miss. - Sunday Telegraph
If you looked you would think that his mind was full of beautiful and poetic thoughts...A ball of food would make its appearance at the base of the long neck and would travel upwards with all the majesty of a department store lift. The ball was generally the size of a coconut and would end its travels by rolling into his mouth. A satisfied expression would replace the look of thoughtful genius and Peter's lower jaw would recommence its monotonous movement.
A loving chronicle of jitter-bugging gnus, singing duets with a bear, stealing eggs to feed the Arctic foxes, practising tiger sniffs...Highly entertaining and informative. - The Times
Durrell manages to convey not only that he loves animals, but that he enjoys life too - and wants you to enjoy it with him. - Daily Mirror
Cover Illustration: Arthur Robins
If you looked you would think that his mind was full of beautiful and poetic thoughts...A ball of food would make its appearance at the base of the long neck and would travel upwards with all the majesty of a department store lift. The ball was generally the size of a coconut and would end its travels by rolling into his mouth. A satisfied expression would replace the look of thoughtful genius and Peter's lower jaw would recommence its monotonous movement.
A loving chronicle of jitter-bugging gnus, singing duets with a bear, stealing eggs to feed the Arctic foxes, practising tiger sniffs...Highly entertaining and informative. - The Times
Durrell manages to convey not only that he loves animals, but that he enjoys life too - and wants you to enjoy it with him. - Daily Mirror
Cover Illustration: Arthur Robins
189 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
About the author
Gerald Durrell
151 books1,616 followersGerald "Gerry" Malcolm Durrell was born in India in 1925. His elder siblings are Lawrence Durrell, Leslie Durrell, and Margaret Durrell. His family settled on Corfu when Gerald was a boy and he spent his time studying its wildlife. He relates these experiences in the trilogy beginning with My Family And Other Animals, and continuing with Birds, Beasts, And Relatives and The Garden Of The Gods. In his books he writes with wry humour and great perception about both the humans and the animals he meets.
On leaving Corfu he returned to England to work on the staff of Whipsnade Park as a student keeper. His adventures there are told with characteristic energy in Beasts In My Belfry. A few years later, Gerald began organising his own animal-collecting expeditions. The first, to the Cameroons, was followed by expeditions to Paraguay, Argentina and Sierra Leone. He recounts these experiences in a number of books, including The Drunken Forest. Gerald also visited many countries while shooting various television series, including An Amateur Naturalist. In 1958 Gerald Durrell realised a lifelong dream when he set up the Jersey Zoological Park, followed a few years later by the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust.
Gerald was married twice; Jacquie Durrell (1951-1979), Lee Durrell (1979-1995).
Gerald Durrell's style is exuberant, passionate and acutely observed. He died in 1995.
On leaving Corfu he returned to England to work on the staff of Whipsnade Park as a student keeper. His adventures there are told with characteristic energy in Beasts In My Belfry. A few years later, Gerald began organising his own animal-collecting expeditions. The first, to the Cameroons, was followed by expeditions to Paraguay, Argentina and Sierra Leone. He recounts these experiences in a number of books, including The Drunken Forest. Gerald also visited many countries while shooting various television series, including An Amateur Naturalist. In 1958 Gerald Durrell realised a lifelong dream when he set up the Jersey Zoological Park, followed a few years later by the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust.
Gerald was married twice; Jacquie Durrell (1951-1979), Lee Durrell (1979-1995).
Gerald Durrell's style is exuberant, passionate and acutely observed. He died in 1995.
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May 1, 2016Part of the sequence of autobiographical books that begins with My Family and Other Animals. In this one Durrell starts working in London Zoo and somehow manages to resist the temptation to put on a ripped old uniform leaping out from behind the lion enclosure only tell zoo visitors tall stories about how savage and dangerous the lions are.
Not a classic in the sense of My Family and Other Animals, but still a pleasant read.
Not a classic in the sense of My Family and Other Animals, but still a pleasant read.
May 31, 2022
ENGLISH: This is the third time I've read this book, which tells how Durrell, in his youth, worked as a keeper at Whipsnade Zoo to prepare for animal-catching expeditions, which later led to his own zoo. In 1969 I visited Whipsnade Zoo, together with a biologist friend and his family, and found its structure revolutionary. Just three years later, in 1972, the Madrid Zoo Aquarium was created, making use of the same architectural ideas in a somewhat smaller space.
In the ten chapters of the book, Durrell tells anecdotes about the animals he worked with at Whipsnade and the people he encountered, with some emphasis on the idiot questions that zoo visitors (especially adults) ask the keepers. The bear who sang duets with Durrell is one of the best characters.
ESPAÑOL: Esta es la tercera vez que he leído este libro, que cuenta cómo Durrell, en su juventud, trabajó como cuidador en el Zoo de Whipsnade para prepararse para realizar expediciones de captura de animales, que más tarde le llevaron a crear su propio zoológico. En 1969 hice una visita al zoo de Whipsnade con un amigo biólogo y su familia, y su estructura me pareció revolucionaria. Sólo tres años después, en 1972, se creó el Zoo Aquarium de Madrid, que hace uso de las mismas ideas arquitectónicas en un espacio algo menor.
A lo largo de los diez capítulos del libro, Durrell nos cuenta anécdotas de los animales con los que trabajó en Whipsnade y de las personas con las que se encontró, poniendo cierto énfasis en las idioteces que los visitantes de los zoos (especialmente los adultos) preguntan a los cuidadores. Uno de los mejores personajes es el oso que cantaba duos con Durrell.
In the ten chapters of the book, Durrell tells anecdotes about the animals he worked with at Whipsnade and the people he encountered, with some emphasis on the idiot questions that zoo visitors (especially adults) ask the keepers. The bear who sang duets with Durrell is one of the best characters.
ESPAÑOL: Esta es la tercera vez que he leído este libro, que cuenta cómo Durrell, en su juventud, trabajó como cuidador en el Zoo de Whipsnade para prepararse para realizar expediciones de captura de animales, que más tarde le llevaron a crear su propio zoológico. En 1969 hice una visita al zoo de Whipsnade con un amigo biólogo y su familia, y su estructura me pareció revolucionaria. Sólo tres años después, en 1972, se creó el Zoo Aquarium de Madrid, que hace uso de las mismas ideas arquitectónicas en un espacio algo menor.
A lo largo de los diez capítulos del libro, Durrell nos cuenta anécdotas de los animales con los que trabajó en Whipsnade y de las personas con las que se encontró, poniendo cierto énfasis en las idioteces que los visitantes de los zoos (especialmente los adultos) preguntan a los cuidadores. Uno de los mejores personajes es el oso que cantaba duos con Durrell.
April 7, 2015
Джери и колоритните животни от зоопарка
Цялото ревю тук: http://knijenpetar.blogspot.com/2015/...
Прочетох първата си книга на Джералд Даръл и мога да кажа, че съм впечатлен. Това ми усещане дойде още в самото начало на книгата, без да съм чел каквато и да е допълнителна информация за нея. При мен рядко се случва да посегна към книга неподготвен. Обяснявам си го със свежата и магнетична корица, която ми напомни за детските книжки с картинки на животни по страниците. Всеки, който е чувал птичките през прозореца си и се е заслушвал внимателно в прекрасните им песни, знае за какво говоря. Много хора отглеждат животни вкъщи и ги обгрижват като членове на семействата си. Повечето от тях биха се влюбили в книгите на Даръл.
„Зверове в звънарната ми“ („Колибри“, 2015) е автобиографична, както и всички останали на британския природозащитник и писател. Тази обаче е малко по-специална, защото обяснява как е започнало всичко. Тук Джери е младеж в разцвета на силите си. Живее със семейството си, куп животни, и с голям ентусиазъм приема при себе си животинка след животинка. Вече е решил цял живот да се занимава с животни. Ето какво пише той:
„Прекарах всичките години, в които се оформяше характерът, вкопчен в това ми решение с упоритостта на мида патела и влудявах всичките си приятели и роднини с това, че ловях, купувах или внасях у дома всевъзможни живи същества – от маймуни до скромни градински охлюви и от скорпиони до бухали.“
Мечтата на Джери да стане събирач на животни, става все по-неотложна (ако мога така да се изразя). Един ден получава обаждане от приятел, че бебе еленче лопатар спешно се нужда е от дом. Той не се двоуми и приема да го подслони вкъщи. Случаят се оказва по-сложен, защото еленчето съвсем не е бебе и годинките му са повече. (Продължава в блога: http://knijenpetar.blogspot.com/2015/...)
Цялото ревю тук: http://knijenpetar.blogspot.com/2015/...
Прочетох първата си книга на Джералд Даръл и мога да кажа, че съм впечатлен. Това ми усещане дойде още в самото начало на книгата, без да съм чел каквато и да е допълнителна информация за нея. При мен рядко се случва да посегна към книга неподготвен. Обяснявам си го със свежата и магнетична корица, която ми напомни за детските книжки с картинки на животни по страниците. Всеки, който е чувал птичките през прозореца си и се е заслушвал внимателно в прекрасните им песни, знае за какво говоря. Много хора отглеждат животни вкъщи и ги обгрижват като членове на семействата си. Повечето от тях биха се влюбили в книгите на Даръл.
„Зверове в звънарната ми“ („Колибри“, 2015) е автобиографична, както и всички останали на британския природозащитник и писател. Тази обаче е малко по-специална, защото обяснява как е започнало всичко. Тук Джери е младеж в разцвета на силите си. Живее със семейството си, куп животни, и с голям ентусиазъм приема при себе си животинка след животинка. Вече е решил цял живот да се занимава с животни. Ето какво пише той:
„Прекарах всичките години, в които се оформяше характерът, вкопчен в това ми решение с упоритостта на мида патела и влудявах всичките си приятели и роднини с това, че ловях, купувах или внасях у дома всевъзможни живи същества – от маймуни до скромни градински охлюви и от скорпиони до бухали.“
Мечтата на Джери да стане събирач на животни, става все по-неотложна (ако мога така да се изразя). Един ден получава обаждане от приятел, че бебе еленче лопатар спешно се нужда е от дом. Той не се двоуми и приема да го подслони вкъщи. Случаят се оказва по-сложен, защото еленчето съвсем не е бебе и годинките му са повече. (Продължава в блога: http://knijenpetar.blogspot.com/2015/...)
June 1, 2019
"Born in India, Gerald Durrell returned to England when he was three, and five years later, the entire entourage, lead by his intrepid, imperturbable mother, went abroad again, eventually settling in Corfu. From the age of two, he was fascinated by zoology, over the years assembling a large, and not altogether savory, collection of pets, strays, and specimens. As his unofficial zoo grew, so did his family’s discomfort. The solution was to find another, more permanent outlet for his passion. So in 1945 he joined Whipsnade—a new concept in open-range animal exhibits—as a student keeper, with Albert the lion, Babs the polar bear, and a baby Père David’s deer among his first charges. In this entertaining history, he recaptures all the passion that permeated those early years, while conveying his insight into and affection for both four- and two-footed creatures. The book is full of larger-than-life animal characters: the bear who sang operatic arias with one paw clasped to his breast, his bosom friend Billy the goat, playful zebras, and a host of equally endearing and memorable critters. This is Durrell at his zoophilic best."
~~GoodReads
Another charming, hilarious, insightful look at working with animals of all shapes, sizes, personalities and temperaments. Absolutely fascinating, and more than educational. Gerald Durrell seems to have been ahead of his time as a leader in knowing that animals should be studied in order to be understood -- a completely alien concept before his time.
~~GoodReads
Another charming, hilarious, insightful look at working with animals of all shapes, sizes, personalities and temperaments. Absolutely fascinating, and more than educational. Gerald Durrell seems to have been ahead of his time as a leader in knowing that animals should be studied in order to be understood -- a completely alien concept before his time.
December 24, 2019
Delightful! I simply devour the Durrell books!
May 21, 2023
Gerry tells us that he regards himself as a lucky person. Since the age of two he made up his mind that he was going to study animals. Nothing else interested him.
He wanted to become a collector of animals and eventually have his own zoo. All this came to pass.
He tells us a lot about his life but never mentions his childhood in Greece, which is what we best know about him from the tv series.
The book’s main content is an account of Gerry’s first job, at Whipsnade Zoo.
Gerry’s talents are not only describing the various animals he cares for but also the people he encounters. He is at his most humorous when describing people.
Regarding the head of Whipsnade Zoo, Captain Beale, he imparts to us that he spoke “in a sort of muted roar”.
At the zoo, he is given various basic tasks, such as feeding the animals, clearing out the stalls, cages, and so forth.
Beale and the others working at the zoo tend to rather look down on Gerry: they have no idea that he is to become a world famous animal expert and best-selling author.
Though he is not given prestigious tasks at the zoo, he studies all the animals he’s assigned to take care of with his unsurpassable and meticulous powers of observation.
He is fortunate to get cheap lodging with a kind woman, Mrs Bailey, the wife of one of the zoo’s employees, who supplies him with delicious and sumptuous meals.
It was somewhat shocking for Gerry that his first job was taking care of the lions. He would rather have begun by looking after “a herd of dewy-eyed deer”.
The lion was called Albert and his two wives were Nan and Jill.
They didn’t look fierce and wild to him, in fact they looked overweight, lazy and slightly superior.
One of the keepers, Jesse, warns him that he shouldn’t try any tricks with the lions, or they’ll “have him”. They may look tame but they’re not.
He had to learn the routine work of feeding and cleaning and other daily chores, but when this was mastered he was able to watch the animals and try to learn something about them.
The keepers, Jesse and Joe, were vastly amused by the fact that Gerry carried an enormous notebook in his pocket and would at the slightest provocation whip it out and make an entry.
Gerry read up about lions but fund that what he read did not fit with reality.
In Pliny’s Natural History (1674) lions were said to be gentle but Gerry discovered that Albert did not possess an ounce of mercy.
Albert spent his time hiding behind bushes and leaping out at unsuspecting old ladies as they passed (though he couldn’t actually get at them, of course).
Albert and his wives had prodigious appetites and in spite of being so fat would squabble and snarl over their meat as though they had not been fed for weeks.
Gerry describes his interaction with the lions in a wonderful, satirical style.
After knowing Albert for some weeks, Gerry decided that he was “sulky, blustery and devoid of any finer feelings whatsoever”.
His small golden eyes always had in them “an expression of baffled rage”.
He always had a “faintly puzzled look” about him.
Either he pranced about in a “filthy temper” or indulged in his joke of jumping out at unsuspecting passers-by and getting “a sardonic pleasure out of their panic”.
Gerry tried very hard but could not find “a single endearing quality” in Albert.
His next job was looking after the tigers. There were four tigers.
Ranee and Paul were mother and son and lived in a pit. Gerry was permitted to scratch Paul’s ears. Jum and Maurena lived in a “great” cage.
Jum and his mate communicated by means of sniffs - “prodigious nose-quivering sniffs”.
Each sniff seemed to have its own meaning, and each sounded different from the other.
At one point Gerry met the owner’s son, Billy, though he didn’t know that was who he was.
He was a tall red-headed boy who waved his arms about like windmills and giggled. Gerry took Billy to be a sort of idiot since he, Billy, didn’t understand a word Gerry said.
Maurena, the tigress, had come into season and now Gerry observed and made copious notes about the tigers’ courtship.
Maurena had changed overnight from a “timid, servile creature” to a “slinking, dangerous animal” that dealt with Jum’s advances “speedily and ferociously”.
Gerry gives us a description of the whole procedure.
Another curious thing Gerry observed was that Jum used to lick his meat before devouring it. The meat was shredded off by the abrasive qualities of his tongue.
When Gerry was at Whipsnade, he was inundated with a multitude of what he considered to be inane questions about the animals. The public seemed to be totally ignorant of even the commonest facts of animal life.
And one little boy asked him “Mister, ‘ave you ever been ate by one of them buggers?”
Another little boy called to his mother, “Mum, come here quick and look at this zebra (one of the tigers).”
Gerry is invited to drinks by Billy’s father, Captain Beale. Later he’s regularly invited to dinner with the family.
This is a vastly entertaining, humorous and informative book, and you will enjoy it greatly if you have the slightest interest in animals and appreciate Gerrys’ wonderful humour. Highly recommended.
He wanted to become a collector of animals and eventually have his own zoo. All this came to pass.
He tells us a lot about his life but never mentions his childhood in Greece, which is what we best know about him from the tv series.
The book’s main content is an account of Gerry’s first job, at Whipsnade Zoo.
Gerry’s talents are not only describing the various animals he cares for but also the people he encounters. He is at his most humorous when describing people.
Regarding the head of Whipsnade Zoo, Captain Beale, he imparts to us that he spoke “in a sort of muted roar”.
At the zoo, he is given various basic tasks, such as feeding the animals, clearing out the stalls, cages, and so forth.
Beale and the others working at the zoo tend to rather look down on Gerry: they have no idea that he is to become a world famous animal expert and best-selling author.
Though he is not given prestigious tasks at the zoo, he studies all the animals he’s assigned to take care of with his unsurpassable and meticulous powers of observation.
He is fortunate to get cheap lodging with a kind woman, Mrs Bailey, the wife of one of the zoo’s employees, who supplies him with delicious and sumptuous meals.
It was somewhat shocking for Gerry that his first job was taking care of the lions. He would rather have begun by looking after “a herd of dewy-eyed deer”.
The lion was called Albert and his two wives were Nan and Jill.
They didn’t look fierce and wild to him, in fact they looked overweight, lazy and slightly superior.
One of the keepers, Jesse, warns him that he shouldn’t try any tricks with the lions, or they’ll “have him”. They may look tame but they’re not.
He had to learn the routine work of feeding and cleaning and other daily chores, but when this was mastered he was able to watch the animals and try to learn something about them.
The keepers, Jesse and Joe, were vastly amused by the fact that Gerry carried an enormous notebook in his pocket and would at the slightest provocation whip it out and make an entry.
Gerry read up about lions but fund that what he read did not fit with reality.
In Pliny’s Natural History (1674) lions were said to be gentle but Gerry discovered that Albert did not possess an ounce of mercy.
Albert spent his time hiding behind bushes and leaping out at unsuspecting old ladies as they passed (though he couldn’t actually get at them, of course).
Albert and his wives had prodigious appetites and in spite of being so fat would squabble and snarl over their meat as though they had not been fed for weeks.
Gerry describes his interaction with the lions in a wonderful, satirical style.
After knowing Albert for some weeks, Gerry decided that he was “sulky, blustery and devoid of any finer feelings whatsoever”.
His small golden eyes always had in them “an expression of baffled rage”.
He always had a “faintly puzzled look” about him.
Either he pranced about in a “filthy temper” or indulged in his joke of jumping out at unsuspecting passers-by and getting “a sardonic pleasure out of their panic”.
Gerry tried very hard but could not find “a single endearing quality” in Albert.
His next job was looking after the tigers. There were four tigers.
Ranee and Paul were mother and son and lived in a pit. Gerry was permitted to scratch Paul’s ears. Jum and Maurena lived in a “great” cage.
Jum and his mate communicated by means of sniffs - “prodigious nose-quivering sniffs”.
Each sniff seemed to have its own meaning, and each sounded different from the other.
At one point Gerry met the owner’s son, Billy, though he didn’t know that was who he was.
He was a tall red-headed boy who waved his arms about like windmills and giggled. Gerry took Billy to be a sort of idiot since he, Billy, didn’t understand a word Gerry said.
Maurena, the tigress, had come into season and now Gerry observed and made copious notes about the tigers’ courtship.
Maurena had changed overnight from a “timid, servile creature” to a “slinking, dangerous animal” that dealt with Jum’s advances “speedily and ferociously”.
Gerry gives us a description of the whole procedure.
Another curious thing Gerry observed was that Jum used to lick his meat before devouring it. The meat was shredded off by the abrasive qualities of his tongue.
When Gerry was at Whipsnade, he was inundated with a multitude of what he considered to be inane questions about the animals. The public seemed to be totally ignorant of even the commonest facts of animal life.
And one little boy asked him “Mister, ‘ave you ever been ate by one of them buggers?”
Another little boy called to his mother, “Mum, come here quick and look at this zebra (one of the tigers).”
Gerry is invited to drinks by Billy’s father, Captain Beale. Later he’s regularly invited to dinner with the family.
This is a vastly entertaining, humorous and informative book, and you will enjoy it greatly if you have the slightest interest in animals and appreciate Gerrys’ wonderful humour. Highly recommended.
August 9, 2021
I picked this up because I love the tv show The Durrells and I wanted to learn more about Gerald. This was a fine book, but it was rather tedious and filled with far too many mundane stories. However, the mundane ones were occasionally interspersed with interesting ones, so it was a mildly enjoyable read. I’m not sure this was the best first book of his to pick up, but I’m not sure I’ll read more of his work.
August 13, 2014
Durrell joined Whipsnade Zoo as a junior keeper.
(also read April 1995)
(also read April 1995)
December 5, 2015
One of my favorite 'animal story authors' right up there with James Herriot.
December 5, 2015
This is a humorous laugh out loud piece of nonfiction. I enjoyed Durrell's descriptions of the human animals as well as those of the zoo inhabitants who populate this short gem of a book.
October 8, 2022
Delightful! Hilarious and human. I love how naturally this memoir flows from descriptions of animal behaviour to anecdotes about the people in his life at Whipsnade to funny reflections on previous naturalist's observations to just... a certain way of seeing the world. The joy of the present and the small and the extravagantly unusual. I love his blend of not-quite-purple prose and earthiness. My brother has given me five more Durrell books for my birthday, and I am heartily looking forward to reading them aloud as I did with this one. Couldn't have had a more different replacement for our Cosmere reading project, and it is wonderful.
April 27, 2019
Pleasant surprise, audiobook, I knew nothing about this when I checked it out. I found entertaining and informative. I will have to read more about the Durells, and maybe watch the BBC show.
January 26, 2020
From the title alone, I thought this was about Aunts. This was incorrect, nary an aunt is featured. Instead it's a book about learning to be a zookeeper just after WW2 and it's very funny - I was laughing aloud by the end of the 3rd page.
(P.S. Much more enjoyable than "We Built A Zoo")
(P.S. Much more enjoyable than "We Built A Zoo")
Read
June 9, 2023Gdy widzę Gerald Durrell, to wiem, że będzie cudowanie. Po znakomitej TRYLOGII Z KORFU przyszedł czas na ZAPISKI ZE ZWIERZYŃCA. Przyznaję, że zastanawiałam się, czy to będzie dobre - trudno przebić coś tak znakomitego, jak jego TRYLOGIA, ale ta książka jest równie świetna. Ma w sobie to samo ciepło i humor, oraz jest ładunkiem informacji o zwierzętach, przyrodzie, czyli największej pasji Durrell'a.
ZAPISKI ZE ZWIERZYŃCA, to wspomnienia Geralda z jego pobytu/pracy w Whipsnade Zoo, gdzie był młodszym opiekunem. Zdecydowanie ten człowiek spełniał swoje marzenia, a jego upór i entuzjazm jest szalenie zaraźliwy. Na studiach także miałam praktyki w powiedzmy, że podobnym miejscu - w Ogrodzie Zoologicznym, gdzie mogłam obserwować ptaki, gady, duże koty itp. Wiem, że to nie jest łatwa praca, ale daje dużą satysfakcję. Czytając ZAPISKI ZE ZWIERZYŃCA wróciły wspomnienia i to było naprawdę miłe.
Ta książka różni się od TRYLOGII Z KORFU, jest bardziej zawodowa i choć humor jest tak samo cudowny, to jednak jest inaczej rozłożony, a Gerard skupia się na innych aspektach codzienności - bo i inna jest codzienność. Nie ma wokół siebie rodziny, choć i ona się pojawia, ale epizodycznie. Najważniejsze jest jego dorastanie, jego proces dojrzewania do decyzji, które zmienią jego życie i ukształtują przyszłość. To opowieść wręcz inicjacyjna, a młody Durrell chłonie wiedzę o zwierzętach od "mistrzów".
Mam nadzieję, że Wydawnictwo Noir sur Blanc jeszcze wyda książki tego wspaniałego człowieka. Dobrą wiadomością jest bliska premiera książki jego siostry Margo CO SIĘ STAŁO Z MARGO? i już nie mogę się doczekać lektury. Książki te są świetnie wydane, pozytywnie, radośnie i mają w sobie Słońce. Zawsze będę wam je polecać, są idealne na poprawę humoru i na dawkę "wiary w siebie".
ach te zwierzęta
Wydawnictwo NOIR SUR BLANC
egzemplarz recenzencki
ZAPISKI ZE ZWIERZYŃCA, to wspomnienia Geralda z jego pobytu/pracy w Whipsnade Zoo, gdzie był młodszym opiekunem. Zdecydowanie ten człowiek spełniał swoje marzenia, a jego upór i entuzjazm jest szalenie zaraźliwy. Na studiach także miałam praktyki w powiedzmy, że podobnym miejscu - w Ogrodzie Zoologicznym, gdzie mogłam obserwować ptaki, gady, duże koty itp. Wiem, że to nie jest łatwa praca, ale daje dużą satysfakcję. Czytając ZAPISKI ZE ZWIERZYŃCA wróciły wspomnienia i to było naprawdę miłe.
Ta książka różni się od TRYLOGII Z KORFU, jest bardziej zawodowa i choć humor jest tak samo cudowny, to jednak jest inaczej rozłożony, a Gerard skupia się na innych aspektach codzienności - bo i inna jest codzienność. Nie ma wokół siebie rodziny, choć i ona się pojawia, ale epizodycznie. Najważniejsze jest jego dorastanie, jego proces dojrzewania do decyzji, które zmienią jego życie i ukształtują przyszłość. To opowieść wręcz inicjacyjna, a młody Durrell chłonie wiedzę o zwierzętach od "mistrzów".
Mam nadzieję, że Wydawnictwo Noir sur Blanc jeszcze wyda książki tego wspaniałego człowieka. Dobrą wiadomością jest bliska premiera książki jego siostry Margo CO SIĘ STAŁO Z MARGO? i już nie mogę się doczekać lektury. Książki te są świetnie wydane, pozytywnie, radośnie i mają w sobie Słońce. Zawsze będę wam je polecać, są idealne na poprawę humoru i na dawkę "wiary w siebie".
ach te zwierzęta
Wydawnictwo NOIR SUR BLANC
egzemplarz recenzencki
September 29, 2021
This is the Second Gerald Durrell book I have listened to recently. I enjoyed this one better than the first. It was funny and charming. Gerald Durrell was fairly young, not as young as in the PBS show, when he got a job at a zoo, he gained experience working with a large variety of animals, and relates very funny stories of working with the animals and the other people at the zoo. very enjoyable.
July 30, 2021
I thought this was going to be more of a biography of Gerald Durrell since the book was in the biography section of my library. Though it mentions a couple of incidents with animals and his family from his younger years, it's mainly a memoir about his one-year experience at Whipsnade Zoo in England.
We've been watching and enjoying the series, "The Durrells" for a while now. I think I'll probably enjoy reading his books about that time more than I enjoyed this book. It's all fairly interesting, but I particularly like the parts that made me smile.
We've been watching and enjoying the series, "The Durrells" for a while now. I think I'll probably enjoy reading his books about that time more than I enjoyed this book. It's all fairly interesting, but I particularly like the parts that made me smile.
June 24, 2020
Not as exciting as the other two I had just read, but one perhaps I can introduce to a certain youngster as our next read-a-loud book.
June 18, 2021
trigger warning
Gerald Durrell knew he wanted to collect animals for zoos, but he also knew that no expedition would hire him if he couldn't show some proof of having expertise with animals. Fostering strays doesn't count.
So he wrote to multiple zoos, and lo and behold, one took him. This book is full of recollections of his first paid job with animals in a zoo.
There is some background on the history of zoological gardens, there is a bit of basic knowledge about the animals he came in contact with, where they're usually found and so on, but mostly it's about his ownmemories.
Like the day they forgot a bucket in the polar bear enclosure. The male bear, after sniffing it out and realising it contained no food, ignore it, but the female bear decided the bucket is her new favourite thing and started playing with it, ultimately taking it for a swim and having to dive a few times as it sunk. The second time this happened, she came up wearing the bucket as a hat, with the strap under her chin, and the keepers were nearly prepared for having to intervene to part bucket and bear, she got it off.
Or about the giraffe who lived witha goat after his companion of many years died, and then refused to eat, until he was given new company. And now he lived under the goat's - who was creatively named Billy - metaphorical thumb.
Again, the author is great at recounting things humorously but never in a degrading or respectless manner, whether it comes to humans or animals.
If you want to learn about zoology or zoological gardens as they are today, this won't do, but if you're out for funny descriptions of encounters with animals, this is perfect.
Gerald Durrell knew he wanted to collect animals for zoos, but he also knew that no expedition would hire him if he couldn't show some proof of having expertise with animals. Fostering strays doesn't count.
So he wrote to multiple zoos, and lo and behold, one took him. This book is full of recollections of his first paid job with animals in a zoo.
There is some background on the history of zoological gardens, there is a bit of basic knowledge about the animals he came in contact with, where they're usually found and so on, but mostly it's about his ownmemories.
Like the day they forgot a bucket in the polar bear enclosure. The male bear, after sniffing it out and realising it contained no food, ignore it, but the female bear decided the bucket is her new favourite thing and started playing with it, ultimately taking it for a swim and having to dive a few times as it sunk. The second time this happened, she came up wearing the bucket as a hat, with the strap under her chin, and the keepers were nearly prepared for having to intervene to part bucket and bear, she got it off.
Or about the giraffe who lived witha goat after his companion of many years died, and then refused to eat, until he was given new company. And now he lived under the goat's - who was creatively named Billy - metaphorical thumb.
Again, the author is great at recounting things humorously but never in a degrading or respectless manner, whether it comes to humans or animals.
If you want to learn about zoology or zoological gardens as they are today, this won't do, but if you're out for funny descriptions of encounters with animals, this is perfect.
May 18, 2022
Although I enjoy all of Durrell’s adventures through his well written books, it’s those that feature his dysfunctional family that are the best. His exchanges with his poor mother and Larry are simply precious.
Durrell writes with such descriptive prowess, such obvious devotion to animals and such wit and humour when dealing with his family and fellow man.
With today’s current fuel crisis, Captain Beale’s hilarious approach to fuel economy (explained in the latter pages of chapter 7) may soon have to be universally adopted!
Durrell writes with such descriptive prowess, such obvious devotion to animals and such wit and humour when dealing with his family and fellow man.
With today’s current fuel crisis, Captain Beale’s hilarious approach to fuel economy (explained in the latter pages of chapter 7) may soon have to be universally adopted!
March 12, 2015
Няма нищо по-хубаво от лошото време. Но само ако си се въоръжил с промишлено количество кафе, топла завивка и щипка хумор срещу лошото настроение, скрит в книга.
Дневната част на този осми март се превърна в един от най-отвратителните дни в годината досега. Срещу гласовете в главата ми обаче имах „Зверове в звънарната ми“ (ИК „Колибри“, 2015), слава на Даръл.
http://www.knijno.blogspot.com/2015/0...
Дневната част на този осми март се превърна в един от най-отвратителните дни в годината досега. Срещу гласовете в главата ми обаче имах „Зверове в звънарната ми“ (ИК „Колибри“, 2015), слава на Даръл.
http://www.knijno.blogspot.com/2015/0...
March 17, 2015
Много приятна книжка. По- малко забавна от трилогията за остров Корфу, но пак я прочетох с удоволствие. Обхваща времето на Джералд Даръл като гледач в зоологическа градина. Харесва ми как живо описва животните.
March 4, 2023
Gerald Durrell was, like his older brother, a very good writer, even if they chose very different subjects. In this funny and fascinating book, Gerald presents a (fictionalised) memoir of his year as a trainee zookeeper in 1945. Anyone who is concerned about the keeping of animals in zoos will soon discover that Gerald’s ambition was always to be an animal collector, which translated to finding endangered and rare creatures in order to conserve a species, to enable a breeding programme which would improve the survival of the animals. This culminated in the animal collection which is still going strong on Jersey today, an “ark” which fulfils Gerald’s dream. All this is much in the future when the young Gerald applies to Whipsnade Zoo for vital experience. The fact that it would take him away from his family who had barely tolerated his collecting animals at times represented a challenge – but in the first instance at least he was a cossetted lodger. He discovers a cast of human characters that provide many funny anecdotes, as well as the animals who carry on living their lives despite as well as because of his ministrations.
This genuinely funny book features many creatures that Gerald soon has to learn to negotiate as he strives to keep them fed, watered, clean and entertained. Some animals virtually ignored him, some were openly affectionate, while others seemed determined to do him harm. In every section of the zoo he becomes involved in learning their habits, the best way to manoeuvre round them and establish a relationship with them as much as possible. He also does the research on the particular breed and species, and I certainly learnt a lot about the origins, the behaviour and the special needs of many of the animals. Not that the facts are boring; they are presented in Gerald’s usual style with a great deal of humour. Thus we discover how he is thrown in at the deep end with the lions – not the beginner animal he had fondly imagined. Albert and his wives look overweight and lazy, but Jesse instructs Gerald that they are still dangerous, and Gerald soon discovers by observation how dangerous. He watches as Albert pushes his wives aside for the most tempting joint of meat, and says “Albert had a genius for being annoying”. The weekly task of removing the discarded bones from the lions’ domain required persuading them into a trap, which was far more difficult than it at first seemed. Moreover, when wandering around collecting the bones with Joe, the roaring of the beasts suggests that they have got free. As both men run for the exit, “Is he out?” I inquired when we were safely outside the cage. “I don’t know,” said Joe, “I didn’t wait to see.”
There are other adventures with animals varying from the small to the large, the giraffe and his goat companion, the extrovert female polar bear with her sedate partner. There are the excitements of separating female bears from their cubs, breaking the ice for baby yaks and discovering many things about wolves. Gerald also revels in the human staff that surround him, including the vet and the plaster of Paris, the dormitory accommodation and food, the teasing over his notebooks and much more. There are some very funny set pieces such as the regular journeys to the cinema and the resigned attitude of some of the keepers to their tasks. Gerald points out that the keeping staff were not necessarily chosen for their enthusiasm for animals, but they genuinely did their best.
This is an enjoyable read which I would recommend for both animal lovers and those who are unsure of the finer differences between some of the animal breeds. Gerald also revels in the descriptions of the human animals that become part of his life, and those are also very funny. This is definitely a book to cheer up a dull day, which combines humour with information and reflections on the need to conserve animals lest there be a severe reduction in the number of species forever. A jolly and funny book, a lovely read for anyone.
This genuinely funny book features many creatures that Gerald soon has to learn to negotiate as he strives to keep them fed, watered, clean and entertained. Some animals virtually ignored him, some were openly affectionate, while others seemed determined to do him harm. In every section of the zoo he becomes involved in learning their habits, the best way to manoeuvre round them and establish a relationship with them as much as possible. He also does the research on the particular breed and species, and I certainly learnt a lot about the origins, the behaviour and the special needs of many of the animals. Not that the facts are boring; they are presented in Gerald’s usual style with a great deal of humour. Thus we discover how he is thrown in at the deep end with the lions – not the beginner animal he had fondly imagined. Albert and his wives look overweight and lazy, but Jesse instructs Gerald that they are still dangerous, and Gerald soon discovers by observation how dangerous. He watches as Albert pushes his wives aside for the most tempting joint of meat, and says “Albert had a genius for being annoying”. The weekly task of removing the discarded bones from the lions’ domain required persuading them into a trap, which was far more difficult than it at first seemed. Moreover, when wandering around collecting the bones with Joe, the roaring of the beasts suggests that they have got free. As both men run for the exit, “Is he out?” I inquired when we were safely outside the cage. “I don’t know,” said Joe, “I didn’t wait to see.”
There are other adventures with animals varying from the small to the large, the giraffe and his goat companion, the extrovert female polar bear with her sedate partner. There are the excitements of separating female bears from their cubs, breaking the ice for baby yaks and discovering many things about wolves. Gerald also revels in the human staff that surround him, including the vet and the plaster of Paris, the dormitory accommodation and food, the teasing over his notebooks and much more. There are some very funny set pieces such as the regular journeys to the cinema and the resigned attitude of some of the keepers to their tasks. Gerald points out that the keeping staff were not necessarily chosen for their enthusiasm for animals, but they genuinely did their best.
This is an enjoyable read which I would recommend for both animal lovers and those who are unsure of the finer differences between some of the animal breeds. Gerald also revels in the descriptions of the human animals that become part of his life, and those are also very funny. This is definitely a book to cheer up a dull day, which combines humour with information and reflections on the need to conserve animals lest there be a severe reduction in the number of species forever. A jolly and funny book, a lovely read for anyone.
January 27, 2020
Gerald Durrell is one of those authors I always pick up. He was funny; he could turn an amazing phrase; he never took himself too seriously; he wrote about animals; and he wanted to make the world a better place by minimizing extinction. I have never viewed a book of his as a wasted investment.
In "Beasts in My Belfry" (published in America as "A Bevy of Beasts") Durrell writes about his time working at the Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire. Post WWII, when jobs were at a premium, amateur naturalist Durrell wrote to a number of zoos in England looking for a position. He interviewed, and was able to find work and lodging as a sort of junior keeper at this earliest English "natural setting" (moats instead of bars) zoo. And being a junior keeper, he was able to rotate from the care of one animal to another and learn a bit about the traditional care of each.
The book was published in 1973, long after Durrell actually worked at Whipsnade, but his memory of the leading resources available on animals at the time - Lydekker, Dr. Guillemard, and General Kinloch, to name a few - remained strong, and are quoted in the book for Durrell's validation or refutation. He also noted the keeper processes, some ingrained by time rather than rationale.
We are fortunate that Durrell chose writing as a way to raise money for animal activities; his books are unfailingly entertaining. The only downside is I always put one down a bit sad, wishing I had known him personally - even with the warts his editor might have made him hide - or wishing perhaps my family had been just a wee bit like his.
In "Beasts in My Belfry" (published in America as "A Bevy of Beasts") Durrell writes about his time working at the Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire. Post WWII, when jobs were at a premium, amateur naturalist Durrell wrote to a number of zoos in England looking for a position. He interviewed, and was able to find work and lodging as a sort of junior keeper at this earliest English "natural setting" (moats instead of bars) zoo. And being a junior keeper, he was able to rotate from the care of one animal to another and learn a bit about the traditional care of each.
The book was published in 1973, long after Durrell actually worked at Whipsnade, but his memory of the leading resources available on animals at the time - Lydekker, Dr. Guillemard, and General Kinloch, to name a few - remained strong, and are quoted in the book for Durrell's validation or refutation. He also noted the keeper processes, some ingrained by time rather than rationale.
We are fortunate that Durrell chose writing as a way to raise money for animal activities; his books are unfailingly entertaining. The only downside is I always put one down a bit sad, wishing I had known him personally - even with the warts his editor might have made him hide - or wishing perhaps my family had been just a wee bit like his.
September 6, 2019
I'm on a roll here, can't stop. Gerry has grown up a bit and gets his first zoo job at Whipsnade Zoo in England in 1945. He wants to gain experience learning how to care for and observe animals and is a little deflated when things at the zoo seem to run in more of a traditional and less scientific manner. But the place is full of awesome characters and Durrell captures them really well. It's a lot of fun to read about them. I mean, you just can't help but love this guy and everyone he works with whom he develops an affection for.
The only thing I found lacking was wondering about his life OUTSIDE the zoo. Occasionally he'd mention a girlfriend and going to the movies and I wanted to pounce on that detail because the book reads like a journal of sorts, which leads you to believe all he ever does is zoo work, and I was really hoping the guy had a personal life too. C'mon Gerry, give us the details!
The only thing I found lacking was wondering about his life OUTSIDE the zoo. Occasionally he'd mention a girlfriend and going to the movies and I wanted to pounce on that detail because the book reads like a journal of sorts, which leads you to believe all he ever does is zoo work, and I was really hoping the guy had a personal life too. C'mon Gerry, give us the details!
May 1, 2019
Loved this one! In this short novel Gerald Durrell writes about the days he worked as a junior keeper at Whipsnade Zoo!! The captain was a gem of a character and so were the animals that Durrell worked with. He once again points out the importance of conservation efforts, using examples such as the Pere David Deer and the Hawaiian goose. These 2 species, once on the brink of extinction have been reintroduced to their natural habitat as they have been bred in colonies by trusts or otherwise.
Being that today is Workers' day, we owe a tip of the hat to people like Durrell himself who have worked relentlessly to preserve these marvels of the world, which once gone, can never be reproduced again.
Being that today is Workers' day, we owe a tip of the hat to people like Durrell himself who have worked relentlessly to preserve these marvels of the world, which once gone, can never be reproduced again.
May 1, 2020
Not as good as my first of his books, A Zoo in My Luggage, but it was still an always delightful read filled with funny anecdotes and details about the raising of animals, like giraffes (don't stand behind one), tigers (I pictured a cat playing with a mouse before eating it as he described the tiger's play), polar bears. The tales weren't quite as funny nor the scene quite as set as in the earlier work; one does get the impression that this is a work by a good author, written at a time other than his prime.
If anything else, it certainly did not dissuade me from intending to pick up yet another of his books before too long. Perhaps the inaugural work of the Corfu Trilogy would make for a good intermediary piece before returning back to his later stories of his zoo days.
If anything else, it certainly did not dissuade me from intending to pick up yet another of his books before too long. Perhaps the inaugural work of the Corfu Trilogy would make for a good intermediary piece before returning back to his later stories of his zoo days.
January 15, 2017
I greatly admire people like Durrell who, from an early age, was so focused on a potential career; especially a career which was so unusual. This book summarises his notes from his first job at Whipsnade Zoo where he was able to make his first observations of wild animals, recognise that zoos needed to become breeding grounds for endangered species and determined his life's goal. An amazing man.
His descriptions of the Captain who ran the Zoo was the highlight for me. The Captain displayed the best of British eccentricities, had naughty reminiscences of his youth, a heart of gold and quite a funny figure.
His descriptions of the Captain who ran the Zoo was the highlight for me. The Captain displayed the best of British eccentricities, had naughty reminiscences of his youth, a heart of gold and quite a funny figure.
September 2, 2022
The second book I've read by Gerald Durrell, he stirs the love of animals I've fostered since childhood.
His descriptions of the animals he tended during his year as a zookeeper lends them the same individuality, and even personhood, that the human characters exude. My mind still dwells on his description of the giraffe, moving as quietly as a tree and gracefully as a deer, and its liquid, long-lashed eyes. And the wolves, darting like arrows between the trees.
I'm paraphrasing here, but I will never look at many of the animals he described in quite the same way. A delightful book, and a must-read for animal lovers.
His descriptions of the animals he tended during his year as a zookeeper lends them the same individuality, and even personhood, that the human characters exude. My mind still dwells on his description of the giraffe, moving as quietly as a tree and gracefully as a deer, and its liquid, long-lashed eyes. And the wolves, darting like arrows between the trees.
I'm paraphrasing here, but I will never look at many of the animals he described in quite the same way. A delightful book, and a must-read for animal lovers.
December 16, 2017
Что раньше представлял из себя зоопарк? Вернее, то место, где содержали животных? Это не было специально оборудованной площадкой, а звери не демонстрации ради показывались посетителям. В традиционном понимании зоопарки придумал Карл Гагенбек, разработав концепцию, которой ныне все стараются придерживаться. О таком же зоопарке, но собственном, с юных лет мечтал и Джеральд Даррелл, специально находивший разнообразных животных, дабы получить опыт работы с ними.
(c) Trounin
(c) Trounin
February 8, 2017
This book seemed to have a more biographical voice than the lyrical story-telling of My Family and Other Animals. Even so, it was a lovely read, as Durrell takes us through his experiences as a young zoo keeper.
I also thought it was an interesting insight into the evolution of zoos and their importance in our current global environment.
If Water for Elephants sparked a curiosity in captive animals, this is your real, analytical reference.
I also thought it was an interesting insight into the evolution of zoos and their importance in our current global environment.
If Water for Elephants sparked a curiosity in captive animals, this is your real, analytical reference.
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