PERHAPS A GIFT VOUCHER FOR MUM?: MOTHER'S DAY
Douglas Botting's biography of GAVIN MAXWELL was hugely praised. His previous books reflect his interest in travel, exploration and wild places. He was an exploration film-maker for the BBC's 'World About Us' and became a full-time writer with the publication of his highly praised biography of the German explorer-naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, Humboldt and the Cosmos.
A biography of this size, even of such a popular figure as conservationist and zoologist Durrell, requires considerable justification, and this book perhaps does not entirely succeed in presenting him as 'one of the great figures of the age', as the blurb puts it. It tells very fully the story of his growing interest in the world of animals, of his life as writer and television pundit, and as a pioneer of modern zoos. The history of his often difficult personal life, his melancholia and his relationship with his brother, Lawrence, have also been thoroughly researched. Although over-long, this book will appeal strongly to those who remember Durrell or share his love of animals. (Kirkus UK)
