A passionate man

Douglas Botting’s biography of Gerald Durrell is a whacking great book,
over 600 pages long. But then, the environmentalist, naturalist, humorist,
best-selling author and adventurer was a whacking great personality. His riotous
enjoyment of life and his passionate, loving struggles for animal conservation
fly off the pages. It’s an absorbing, hugely appealing story. Durrell should
have been immortal, for the good of life on Earth. Published by HarperCollins,
£24.99, ISBN 000255660X.