By Sam Milligan
Penguin Random House have announced one final instalment of the much-celebrated work of Gerald Durrell. The posthumous autobiography, set to be published at the end of the year, will contain snippets of unpublished extracts from Durrell’s lifelong work dedicated to conservation and the prevention of species extinction.
Born in 1925, Durrell spent the formative years of his childhood in Corfu, developing a deep-rooted love for nature and animals, which inspired his famous Corfu Trilogy (My Family and Other Animals; Birds, Beasts and Relatives; and The Garden of the Gods). After a brief stint as a zookeeper at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, Durrell began his lifelong passion of animal collecting from the most remote corners of the world. By studying these rare animals in order to preserve endangered species, Durrell elevated the idea of animal and nature conservation to the global stage.
As much as he was famed for his guardianship of animals, Durrell was also renowned as an exceptional storyteller. The release of this new title is thus a cause for celebration, as it gives readers the opportunity to read his humorous witticisms and personal anecdotes one final time. There could be no better time for the release of such a thought-provoking book. Whoever picks up one of Durrell’s books, old or young, will be met with a detailed account of the beauty of our world and the creatures in it. One can only imagine the effect this new release could have on enhancing environmental and wildlife conservation – at least in the UK, if not globally.
The book will shed new light on the illustrious life of the author, most famous for his 1956 book My Family and Other Animals, which also inspired the 2016 drama series The Durrells. This final instalment of Durrell’s work, titled Myself and Other Animals, will draw from a memoir written by Durrell in the 1990s (before he became too ill to complete the work), as well as details from a trip to Australia in 1969.
Durrell was known for the witty and vivid storytelling of his animal-collecting expeditions, and this posthumous release will seek to retain that affable charm. Viking, the respected imprint of Penguin Random House, will be responsible for the publication. The commissioning editor, Greg Clowes, stated how Durrell “remains a true national treasure”, and the new title will strive to capture his cheerful charm that captivated so many readers. The cover art for Myself and Other Animals can be found here, with the book set to be released on 5 December.