Menagerie Manor [Mass Market Paperback]

Gerald Durrell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1995

Most children at the tender age of six or so are generally full of the most impractical schemes for becoming policemen, firemen or engine drivers when they grow up...I knew exactly what I was going to do: I was going to have my own zoo. "Menagerie Manor" is the hugely entertaining account of how the well-known and much-loved conservationist and author, Gerald Durrell, fulfilled a lifelong ambition by founding his very own private zoo in Jersey. With the help of an enduring wife, a selfless staff and a reluctant bank manager, the zoo grows. One by one the reader is introduced to the village idiocy of Trumpy, the grey-winged trumpeter, who wakes the zoo every morning; the riotous antics of Claudius the tapir; the moving romance of N'Pongo, an African gorilla; and the antics of a whole menagerie of orangutans, lions, bears, porcupines and other creatures. Hilariously illustrated by Ralph Thompson, this book about the trials and wonders of living in the middle of a zoo is a classic that will continue to bring pleasure to those who grew up reading Durrell, and deserves a whole new readership.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'A renegade who was right... He was truly a man before his time' Sir David Attenborough 'You can't deny that there are some species that now exist because of him' Craig Bennett, Friends of the Earth 'Gerry, more than anybody else, got people to reconnect with animals emotionally... he just somehow makes the animals touch the inner core of the reader' Lee Durrell" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Gerald Durrell (1925-1995) is one of England's best-loved authors and had a lifelong passion for animals of all kinds. Born in India, he was taken by his family to live in Corfu as a child, and immediately became fascinated by the island's natural history; these years are famously documented in My Family and Other Animals. In 1947 he began making expeditions to collect animals from around the world in order to protect endangered species. He founded the Jersey Wildlife Protection Trust to look after these animals, and the Trust is still run by his widow, Lee Durrell. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (January 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140025227
• ISBN-13: 978-0140025224
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,760,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A zoo with a difference, July 26, 2005

By 

Frikle - See all my reviews

This review is from: Menagerie Manor (Paperback)

Unlike most other Durrel books which speak of his expeditions to study and work with animals, this one talks of him setting up his own zoo in the Channel island of Jersey. This book overturns a stereotype of the zoo as a humourless place with unhappy animals in poor conditions, at least for Durrell's zoo.

Much of the book deals with the characters he has become fond of - the "celebrity" animals in the zoo and the laughter and tears they have caused. It also speaks of the relationship between the zoo and the Jersey community - the initial reluctance followed by an outpouring of support. It also details many incidents that have occurred in the zoo, whether hilarious or touching.

A great read for all who love animals, as the author's attachment to them is felt in every page - as well as a testimony to what zoos can be within the scientific/community/ecological and environmental scale of things.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read!, February 17, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (India) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Menagerie Manor (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a great book for all those who have a special place in their hearts for animals. Gerald Durrell takes us through his experiences in setting up a zoo in Jersey. It is a marvelous book full of humor. It sends out a message about saving wildlife. So, even if you are not the one to start a zoo, this book is a must read for you!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars really great book, September 2, 2010

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Menagerie Manor (Paperback)

If you like Gerald Durrel in my opinion this is one of his best books. I have read all his books and this is in the top 5.
its funny, smart, and its great how he uses descriptive and proper writing. Just look at the cover and you see him holding a tapir.
It made me laugh my butt off i highly recomend it to anyone.