One of the most peculiar books I have ever read. Basically, it is a long didactic poem with a plethora of practical tips Hesiod wrote for his brother,One of the most peculiar books I have ever read. Basically, it is a long didactic poem with a plethora of practical tips Hesiod wrote for his brother, Perses. A hodgepodge of philosophy, mythology and everyday life, from motivational aphorisms to agricultural lifehacks.
I admire A. E. Stallings' efforts to make her translation of Works and Days accessible. The use of contemporary vocabulary and dactylic hexameter, bizarrely akin to the rhythm of rap, makes this book, written around 700 BC, an enjoyable read. The translator's hard work and dedication are remarkable. She investigated so many details, for instance, types of thistle or species of cranes. Truth be told, I often found her comments more interesting than the book itself. I also enjoyed the personal tone of the long (37% of the book!) introduction which reads like a captivating essay.
I did my best to let A. E. Stallings infect me with her passion for Hesiod — and her deep fascination with his oeuvre is perceptible — but I turned out to be rather immune. For example, his opinion on women made me cringe: Don’t let a woman mystify your mind With sweet talk and the sway of her behind – She’s just after your barn. He who believes A woman, is a man who trusts in thieves. At the same time, it turns out that a wife makes an indispensable part of the equipment: You'll need A woman and an ox to start a life. How gallant of Hesiod to list a woman first!
What does Works and Days tell us about Hesiod? I guess his intention was to sound wise, experienced and generous, sharing his precious knowledge with his brother who evidently does not deserve it. His patronizing tone was so irksome! Hesiod seems to be a boring know-it-all and I found his superiority obnoxious. It felt awkward when he kept boasting about winning a poetry competition. He seemingly cares for his brother but at the same time, he portrays — or rather caricatures — him as a halfwit.
What does Works and Days tell us about Perses, Hesiod's brother? The way Hesiod addresses his brother is not exactly affectionate: Fool Perses, what I say’s for your own good.
You great fool, Perses! Judging from Hesiod's instructive advice on urinating and defecating: Do not piss on the road Or off it, as you walk.
Don’t urinate in streams that flow downhill To the sea, or springs. To this, be much averse. And do not void yourself in them – that’s worse! ...and his friendly reminder not to show privates smirched with sex, Perses must have been a catastrophic failure. Or this is what Hesiod wants us to believe. Isn't it strange that such a stupid, primitive simpleton was supposed to read and understand his brother's fancy didactic poem written in dactylic hexameter?
A person who enacted the ‘disappointing sequels’ curse on me, is kindly requested to undo it. It has been working effectively for a while and I feel eA person who enacted the ‘disappointing sequels’ curse on me, is kindly requested to undo it. It has been working effectively for a while and I feel exasperated.
Speaking seriously, I am solely the one to blame as far as Birds, Beasts and Relatives (1969) is concerned. I should not have ignored the first warning signal — at the very beginning, it turned out that the book covers exactly the same period as My Family and Other Animals, the first volume of Corfu Trilogy, which I got enamoured of six years ago. Well, what you see is what you get.
It does not take Sherlock Holmes's deductive skills to suspect that the anecdotes and observations here are the ones which did not make it to the first volume. For a reason. Let’s face it, it does not sound like a guarantee of high quality. And indeed, Gerald Durrell tries to be entertaining and hilarious in Birds, Beasts and Relatives but his efforts to elicit laughter and thrills are annoyingly visible and heavy-handed while the humour in My family and Other Animals was completely effortless. An example: the cringe chapter about Mother and Gerry's visit to London. My eyes ached from rolling, especially during the spiritual séance.
Unfortunately, some aspects of Birds, Beasts and Relatives put me off even more. There are a few beliefs behind this book which felt awkward. They were not expressed straightforwardly, just subtly hinted, but perceptible anyway. ‘All ‘Gypsies’ are thieves’. ‘Fat girls are a laughingstock’. ‘A gay man is a wannabe paedophile’ (That man could have been a bad influence on the boy if he had had much to do with him). These ‘truths’ are served here soaking in a humouristic sauce which does not change much, quite the contrary. I know one should not expect our sensitivity from a memoir published in 1969 but, on the other hand, there are books written then which are devoid of such repelling revelations.
In spite of the infantile covers of some editions, I would not recommend this book for children. If at the age of 8 or 9, I had read a detailed description of a tarantula feasting on a baby lark, not to mention a dissection of a turtle or the death of Gerry’s hedgehogs, I would have been devastated while the rest of the book would have put me to sleep for sure.
The things I enjoyed immensely in Birds, Beasts and Relatives were Durrell’s bewitching and vivid descriptions of paradisiac nature and the explosion of warm nostalgia at the end of the book. And that would be it. I wonder if it is enough to embark on the third volume.
[image] Agios Gordios, Corfu, Greece, Anne Durham....more
I loved 'My family and Other Animals'(1956) by Gerald Durrell from start to finish, thoroughly and in detail. That's why I will tell you about it fromI loved 'My family and Other Animals'(1956) by Gerald Durrell from start to finish, thoroughly and in detail. That's why I will tell you about it from A to Z.
A is for animals The way Gerald Durrell describes them is unbeatable. He casts a spell on you not only when he portrays quite spectacular species but also quite prosaic ones.
B is for bathing-costume The chapter in which mother purchases an extravagant garment, 'covered from top to bottom with hundreds of frills and pleats and tucks', is one of my absolute favourites. Just to give you a foretaste: ‘What is it?’ asked Larry at length. ‘It’s a bathing-costume, of course,’ said Mother. ‘What on earth did you think it was?’ ‘It looks to me like a badly skinned whale,’ said Larry, peering at it closely.
C is for Corfu 'Here in Corfu,’ said Theodore, his eyes twinkling with pride, 'anything can happen.' A picturesque Greek island Gerry (aged ten) and his family (mother, two older brothers and one sister) moved to from Britain. They lived there from 1935 to 1939. The beauty of the place depicted by Durrell is dazzling, in all seasons, in all times of the day. Nowadays Corfu probably looks quite different, with thousands of tourists, but I’m sure the magic captured in 'My Family and Other Animals' still lingers there: 'Outside, the island was striped and patched in black and silver by moonlight. Far down in the dark cypress trees the owls called to each other comfortingly. The sky looked as black and soft as a mole-skin covered with a delicate dew of stars. The magnolia tree loomed vast over the house, its branches full of white blooms, like a hundred miniature reflections of the moon, and their thick, sweet scent hung over the veranda languorously, the scent that was an enchantment luring you out into the mysterious, moonlit countryside.' The enchantment really works. Since I finished 'My family and Other Animals', I have been dreaming of going to Corfu.
[image] Herbert List, Ionian island of Pondikoisi seen from Kanoni, Corfu. 1937. [Image source]
D is for Dandy Dinmont Terrier Mother's dog. Dodo constantly challenges beauty standards. Affectionately called by Larry 'that canine Frankenstein'.
E is for education Gerry doesn’t attend any schools on Corfu, he has lessons with tutors. I’m sure you will be astonished by the gallery of his eccentric teachers.
F is for family The most obvious thing you are attracted to are the adventures of the Durrells and their portrayals but there is something not so obvious worth exploring also. I mean the relationships between the members of the family, full of warmth and tolerance. One of the keys to the success is probably the fact that they are communicating almost all the time: 'we seemed unable to extract the full flavour of our letters and magazines unless they were shared.' The siblings are nasty to each other at times but even the most malicious remarks have a cordial lining.
[image] Gerry Durrell and a part of his family, 1936. The Daffodil Yellow Villa in the background. [Image source]
G is for guests Mostly neurotic artists and writers. Invited spontaneously, in large amounts: 'Sometimes the fresh load of guests would turn up before we had got rid of the previous group, and the chaos was indescribable'.
H is for humour Ubiquitarian! It's one of the most hilarious books I’ve ever read. I would have never guessed that Durrell was seriously ill while writing 'My family and Other Animals' - he was recovering from jaundice. If you think it's sensible enough not to read this book in public places to prevent bursts of uncontrollable laughter, you are wrong. And I'm speaking from experience. It is enough to recall some scenes to get hysterical while you are for example travelling on a bus or doing shopping. You will encounter various kinds of humour: funny situations, chucklesome comments, cranky personalities, elements of black humour or a comedy full of gags: 'Living in Corfu was rather like living in one of the more flamboyant and slapstick comic operas.'
I is for I am grateful! Three Goodreads friends inspired and convinced me to read this ludicrous book. Thanks from the bottom of my heart to Jennifer B., Julie and Roman Clodia. I will always associate them with this uproarious, amazing read and it will make my memories even lovelier. If you check the Goodreads shelves of these three exceptional ladies – which I strongly recommend - the first thing you will probably notice is the diversity of their literary tastes. It goes to show that Durrell adequately caters for a variety of readers' needs and preferences.
J is for just perfect ...for a rainy day. Or a day when you want to forget about your worries. Or a day when you get bad news. Or a day when you are just feeling blue with no reason. From now on 'My family and Other Animals' will make an indispensable part of my bookish first aid kit. Durrell takes care of his readers' well-being in a truly touching way: the real cause why the family decided to come back to Britain was the war, while it's not mentioned in the story even once.
K is for Kralefsky Gerry's teacher. One of the most comical characters in the book. Known for his chivalry and wrestling skills. Which turned out to be quite virtual.
L is for Lugaretzia A Greek housekeeper who continuously moans and entertains the Durrells’ guests with generous displays of her gums. 'There was only one thing in life that could bring a smile to Lugaretzia’s gloomy countenance, a glint to her spaniel eyes, and that was a discussion of her ailments.'
M is for Mother Patient. Practical. Sane which seems to be quite an exception in this family. Adorable. You might try not to love her but you won't stand a ghost of a chance. Her hobbies are cooking and gardening.
N is for Nirvana The state Mother has gradually reached: 'that happy Nirvana where nothing shocks or startles is exemplified by the fact that one weekend recently, when all alone in the house, she was treated to the sudden arrival of a series of crates containing two pelicans, a scarlet ibis, a vulture, and eight monkeys. A lesser mortal might have quailed at such a contingency, but not Mother.'
O is for other family members We meet only Gerry, his siblings and mum but no doubt other family members are remarkable too, for instance 'Aunt Bertha, keeping flocks of imaginary cats' or 'Great-Uncle Patrick, who wanders about nude and tells complete strangers how he killed whales with a penknife…'
P is for pink Strawberry pink, to be exact. The colour of the first house the Durrells rented on Corfu. The villa had an air of pink-faced determination.
Q is for quirky Most people would probably find the Durrells and their pets quite bizarre. When they were coming to England by train a ‘disgracefully efficient official’ at the Swiss frontier described them in a form: 'One travelling Circus and Staff'.
R is for Roger Gerry’s dog and companion. One of the most candid and poignant canine portraits I have encountered in literature so far.
S is for Spiro A taxi driver, devoted friend of the Durrells who speaks unconventional English, adding 's' at random. [image] Gerry and Spiro. [Image source]
T is for tortoise Achilles, one of the first pets the Durrells had on Corfu. A connoisseur of wild strawberries.
U is for universal Chances are this book will be loved by readers from about 9 years old to infinity. Most children will probably focus on crazy adventures while more mature audience will indulge in Durrell's irony and beauty of his writing style. I think the omnipresent humour is the strength of the book but its weakness at the same time: if it's not compatible with yours, you will probably get bored and frustrated.
V is for veracity According to Gerald Durrell 'all the anecdotes about the island and the islanders are absolutely true'. Am I the only one who has the impression that the author is winking now? The sad part is that the idyllic image of his family in the book seems to be highly idealised.
W is for writer Larry, up-and-coming man of letters, one of Gerry’s brothers, later famous for 'Alexandria Quartet'. Twenty-three years old, dreaming of literary career. He considers himself a genius who has to cope with cruel reality and is not always successful: 'I assure you the house is a death-trap. Every conceivable nook and cranny is stuffed with malignant faunae waiting to pounce. How I have escaped being maimed for life is beyond me. A simple, innocuous action like lighting a cigarette is fraught with danger. Even the sanctity of my bedroom is not respected. First, I was attacked by a scorpion, a hideous beast that dripped venom and babies all over the place. Then my room was torn asunder by magpies. Now we have snakes in the bath and huge flocks of albatrosses flapping round the house, making noises like defective plumbing.' I was surprised when I found out that real Lawrence, was married and lived on Corfu with his wife. There’s no trace of her in the book.
X is for xenophobia Fortunately not present at all! The hospitality of Corfiots was really moving. Kind and generous, they offered delicious food to Gerry and made his family feel at home.
Y is for yes Yes, I’m definitely going to read the other two parts of 'The Corfu Trilogy'.
Z is for Zatopec An elderly Armenian poet, one of the peculiar guests: 'His voice shook the house like a sirocco as he swept into it, his cloak rippling, his arms full of bottles'. Notorious for his enthusiasm for the opposite sex, forlorn Lugaretzia included.
Now you know my ABC, Next time won't you read with me?
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