United States
£ GBP
Written with Gerald Durrell's usual sharp eye for observing humour in any situation, Beasts in My Belfry will delight fans both old and new.
"At the age of two I made up my mind quite firmly and unequivocally that the only thing I wanted to do was study animals. Nothing else interested me."
This is a charming account of Gerald Durrell's first job in 1945 as a student keeper at Whipsnade Zoo. Over a year, we encounter a typically absurd cast – including Albert the lion, who's a dab hand at ventriloquism, and Teddy the brown bear, with whom the young Durrell sings duets. With notebook and pen in hand, the eager young Durrell observes his co-workers and animal charges alike. Whether getting dirty mucking out the buffalo enclosure or attempting to cajole a jitter-bugging gnus into a transportation crate, life at the zoo is certainly never boring.
Gerald Durrell was one of Britain's best loved authors and pioneering naturalists. His books, such as the bestselling My Family and Other Animals which celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2006, continue to entertain generations of children and adults alike. The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust is an international conservation charity with headquarters in Jersey, UK.
