Customer Reviews

The Amateur Naturalist: A Practical Guide to the Natural World

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As readers of 'My Family and Other Animals' will be aware, Gerald Durrell's passion for animals was a constant throughout his life, and his legacy survives in the form of the Jersey Zoo, an institution devoted to the preservation of endangered species. Durrell was also a writer of tremendous charisma and charm, recounting his adventures around the world in a prose that is often unmatched in nature writing.

In 'The Amateur Naturalist', Gerald and wife Lee set out to create the sort of guide for which the much younger Durrell, loose among the wildlife of Corfu, would likely have killed (humanely, though). Broken down by habitats, with coloured illustrations and thoughtful, enjoyable text descriptions, 'The Amateur Naturalist' is a treasure trove for anyone interested in studying the world around them, no matter the part of the world in which they might live. Although you needn't be an actual collector in order to enjoy this book, there is also information on how to begin collecting wild flora and fauna (there is no recommendation, however, on the keeping of snakes in the bath or spiders in matchboxes).

For anyone that knows and loves nature, or would like to know more, this is definitely the book to have.

In one lavishly illustrated and well-written volume, Gerald Durrell takes readers on a pocket tour of the infinite variety of the creatures that inhabit planet Earth and at the same time provides a brief tutorial on the methods and importance of simple, hands-on biological research. This is a gift of the first rank for any scientifically-inclined child, and great for adults too.

In my teen years, I was very interested in biology and the world around me (from insects to birds to fungi). This book gave me inspiration and a basic knowledge of biological collecting and preservation. I am a graduate student in biology now (studying entomology); part of my success comes from having used this book. Thank you, Durrell!

I am only a teen, but I love this book! Why is it out of print?! I owe it all to this book! When i grow up, I'm gonna be a naturalist and It's all because of this great book. It is well illustrated and has many interesting diagrams. it tells about every landscape you could possibly think of! If you like nature, you want this book! Thank you Gerald Durrel!

Durrell is a wonderful scientist, an excellent writer and a born philosopher. For anyone who is interested in nature (as everyone should be) you will come to understand it and love it through this book. Great pictures. Let spiders live! It's not out of date and it should not be out of print either!

I found this in my local library and loved it. Now I'm trying to get a copy and I hope this works. I you find nature/biology at all interesting, this is the book for you. If Durrell wasn't my favorite author anyways this would make him my favorite for sure.

Great, detailed information. A tree in the temperate zone grows about 1 inch per year in girth, so you can estimate its age easily. Many simple ideas for experiments. Excellent on techniques--preserving methods, dissection, how to collect bugs with tray beating. The high point is skinning and mounting a mouse. Newer books have better photos, but often not as solid content.

The Amateur Naturalist is an incredible book. I bought it in 1983 from "Baker & Taylor" (book jobber)in Georgia (I worked in a college library at the time). It opened up a whole new world for me and started me down the path to my Science Degree. I am sad that Durrell is no longer with us (1925 - 1995) but he left a legacy without compare. This book will open up worlds that everyone will truly enjoy. The knack for writing is apparent in the easy to follow book.

Check out the inside photo facing the title page. If you've had any science classes, you will undertand the complexity of the representations there.

I wish it was on Kindle too ... I could haul it around with me easier. I love reading it occasionally. It started my life to a better place. Thank you
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