Originally written by Roy Brayton.
This title is a collection of three of Gerald Durrell’s short stories: The Corfu Trilogy: My Family and Other Animals, Birds, Beasts and Relatives, and The Garden of the Gods. When read in sequence, a reader is given a totally delightful and fun account of Durrell’s early years living on the island of Corfu with his family. Durrell’s mother moved him and his siblings to Corfu in 1935 where her oldest son Lawrence was living. Lawrence went on his life to gain fame as a writer while Gerald became not only a popular writer but also an acclaimed naturalist and wildlife conservationist. Durrell’s stories are filled with amusing and totally entertaining tales of his Corfu childhood. He would explore all over the island with his wonderful dog and learn about the insects and animals that were thriving on Corfu. His family’s antics are also detailed as the youngest sibling captures the crazy and humorous adventures of his older siblings. Corfu, as seen by a young Gerald Durrell, was a gorgeous island surrounded by glorious waters in which to swim. Most importantly, he studied the insects, fish, and animals so prevalent in Corfu. And, this was to become his passion in life. The Corfu Trilogy is a terrific volume of stories that is wonderful reading and strongly recommended.
Pat Summit’s autobiography is terrific reading on many levels. Gaining a huge national following as coach of the University of Tennessee’s Lady Vols basketball team, Summit led her team to 1,098 national championships from 1974 to 2012. Her story of how she coached her team with incisive and, at times, gruelingly tough leadership is so interesting as a chapter of women’s collegiate sports as well as the history of women’s basketball. Equally compelling is Summit’s honest, frank, and often heartbreaking account of her diagnosis and working as a coach with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. A reader can and will learn so much about Alzheimer’s from Summit’s brutally honest and direct confrontation with her health issues. Sum it Up remains a terrifically wonderful book about a courageous and determined person both on and off the basketball court.
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