Lee Durrell joins Simon Barnes to discuss the literary legacy of Gerald Durrell
Having recently written a foreword to a new edition of world-renowned conservationist Gerald Durrell’s much-loved memoir My Family and Other Animals, Simon will be joined on stage by Dr. Lee Durrell, where together they will discuss Gerald Durrell’s incredible literary legacy. The presentation takes place on Thursday, 1st October at 3.15pm, and audience members will also be treated to a scene from Daniel Austin’s dramatisation of the book.
Lee said, “It’s hard to believe that Gerald Durrell would have been 90 this year, but his famous book about his Corfu childhood is just as enchanting as it was when it first appeared nearly 60 years ago. It is still inspiring young people to take up a career in conservation, and I look forward to talking to Simon Barnes about this.”
Running from Wednesday 30th September through to Sunday 4th October, Jersey ‘Festival of Words’ features both local and internationally celebrated writers from many genres performing, reading and discussing their work.
Citing Durrell’s founder as having a huge influence on him and describing his books as ‘an absolute joy’, Simon Barnes has commented on Gerald Durrell’s ability to write with humour and a sense of mischief. Going on to discuss the event in more detail Simon said, “Being asked to speak about Gerald's literary legacy is not just a great privilege, but repays a huge debt. If it had not been for Gerald, I well may not have written about wildlife and enjoyed the path I have taken.
“I, like so many others enjoyed Gerald Durrell’s books as a child and naturally I was bowled over by the opportunity to write the introduction to the latest edition of My Family and Other Animals.”
Similar to Durrell, who famously championed the cause of ‘little brown jobs’, Barnes is keen to promote the need to save all animals, not just those perceived to be ‘super sexy,’ and this vision was partly behind his latest book Ten Million Aliens which examines how the world’s creatures - weird, wonderful, and everything in between - are inextricably linked. Barnes will be speaking about Ten Million Aliens on Friday, 2nd October at 1030 at the Jersey Opera House for ‘Jersey Festival of Words’.
For more information on Barnes’ talks and to buy tickets please click here.