A small British family, which consisted of mother-widow and three children not older than twenty years arrived with a long visit. The fourth son, who was more than twenty - and besides, were married there; At first they all stopped in Perama. Mother and younger siblings have been equipped in the house, which then began to call the strawberry-pink villa, and the eldest son and his wife initially settled in the house of a fishing fisherman.

This, of course, was family Darrell. Everything else, as they say, belongs to history.

Is it so?

Is not a fact. For the years that have passed since then, Darrells and about those five years that they spent on Corfu, from 1935 to 1939, many words were written, and most of them themselves were written. And yet there are many questions about this period of their life without answering, and the main one - what exactly happened over the years?

Gerald Darrell. 1987.

I managed to ask this question myself Gerald Darrell In the 70s, when I drove a group of schoolchildren at the Darrell Zoo in Jersey during a trip to the Norman Islands.

Gerald to all of us reacted with extraordinary kindness. But he refused to answer questions about Corfu, unless I promise to return the next year with another group of schoolchildren. I promised. And then he very frankly answered all the questions I asked him.

At that time I found it a confidential conversation, so much of the telled never retell. But I still used the main milestones of his story - to seek explanations from others. A detailed picture, which I could compose in this way, I shared with Douglas Botting, which then wrote the authorized biography of Gerald Darrell, and with Hilary Piypety, when she wrote his guide "In the footsteps of Lawrence and Gerald Darrells on Corfu, 1935-1939."

Now, however, everything has changed. Namely - all members of this family have long died. Mr. Darrell died in India in 1928, Mrs. Darrell - in England in 1965, Leslie Darrell - in England in 1981, Laurence Darrell - in France in the 1990s, Gerald Darrell - in Jersey in 1995, and Finally, Margo Darrell died in England in 2006.

Everyone has children left, with the exception of Gerald; But the reason why was impossible to report the details of the old conversation, died with Margo.

What should I need to tell?

I think some important questions about Darrellha on Corfu, which still have to sometimes hear, require a response. Below I am just trying to answer them - truthfully, as far as possible. What I betrayed was, for the most part, told Darrell to me personally.

1. The book of Gerald "My family and other animals" is more likely artistic or rather documentary prose?

Documentary. All characters mentioned in it are real people, and all of them Gerald are carefully described. The same applies to animals. And all the cases described in the book are facts, although not always outlined in chronological order, but Gerald warns about this in the preface to the book. Dialogues also definitely reproduce a manner in which Darrells communicated with each other.

2. If this is so, then why Lawrence on the book lives together with his family, while in fact he was married and lived separately in calves? And why in the book there are no mention of his wife Nancy Darrell?

Because in fact Lawrence and Nancy most of her time at Corfu held together with the Darrell family, and not in the White House in Calais - this applies to the period when Mrs. Darrell took a huge yellow and snow-white villa (that is, from September 1935 August 1937 and from September 1937 to departure with Corfu. They were filmed a strawberry villa for the first time, and it lasted less than six months).

In fact, Darrells have always been a very cohesive family, and Mrs. Darrell was in these years the center of family life. And Leslie, and Margot, after they were twenty, also lived for some time on Corfa Separately, wherever they settled on Corfu during these years (the same applies to Leslie and Nancy), Villas Mrs. Darrell have always been among these places.

However, it should be noted that Nancy Darrell never became a truly member of the family, and they with Lorenis broke up forever - shortly after leaving Corfu.

Lawrence and Nancy Darrell. 1930

3. "My family and other animals" - more or less truthful statement of the then events. How about other books of Gerald about Corfu?

Over the years, the fiction added. In the second book about Corfu, "birds, beasts and relatives", Gerald told some of his best taeks about the time spent on Corfu, and most of these Bakeek are true, even if not all. Some stories were pretty stupid, so he subsequently regretted that he had included them in the book.

Many events described in the third book, the "Garden of the Gods", are also invented. Briefly speaking, most fully and in detail about life on Corfa Tasted in the first book. The second one entered some stories that were not included in the first, but they were not enough for a whole book, so I had to fill the gaps with fiction. And the third book and the collection of stories that followed it, although they contained some share of real events, mainly literature.

4. Are all the facts about this family life of the family entered the books and stories of Gerald about Corfu or something was deliberately omitted?

Something was deliberately omitted. And even more than intentionally. Closer to the end of Gerald, more and more came out from under the control of the mother and has lived for some time together with Laurence and Nancy in calves. About this period, he never mentioned for a number of reasons. But it was at this time that Gerald could be called "Child of Nature" with full right.

So, if childhood is really, as they say, the "Writer's bank account", then it was Corfu and Gerald, and Lorence with Village replenished his experience, subsequently reflected in their books.

5. They say that Darrells led an immoral lifestyle at Corfu, insulting the local population. Is it so?

Only not Gerald. He in those years on Corfa was just a small and adored boy. He was loved not only by the mother and other family members, but all who surrounded him: the islanders, whom he knew and with whom communicated at quite a demolished Greek; Numerous teachers who have had over the years, and especially Theodore Stefanidez, who treated him as his native son, as well as a guide and mentor Darrelles - Spiro (American), a taxi driver.

However, other family members really insulted public opinion, namely, Nancy and Laurence got rid of their first child and buried the fruit on the shore of the bay of calves; Margot, in which there is practically no doubt, got pregnant without her husband and had to go to England to give the child to adoption; Finally, Leslie, from which the servant became pregnant, Maria Condu, refused to marry her and ensure their son.

In the case of Margo, Gerald hinted at the beginning of the head of "fighting with spirits" in the book "Birds, animals and relatives", but he only reports that in the midst of their stay at Corfu Mrs. Darrell had to urgently send Margo to London in connection with "Sudden obesity."

The authentic and events described at the beginning of the chapter 12 of the books "My Family and Other Beasts". The main villain was Gerald teacher - Peter, in real life Pat Ivens. Pat was expelled from the Darrell family, but, leaving CorfaHe did not leave Greece and during World War II became the hero of Greek resistance. Then he returned to England and married. However, he never told about Darrell, not his son.

White house in calves on the island of Corfu, in which Lawrence Darrell lived

6. During the years of life, Darrells were not too famous for the years of life. How much has grown since their fame?

Lawrence is now considered one of the most notable writers of the XX century. Almost all of his books come out so far, and two early novels are preparing for reprinting over the next year (2009 - OS) by the School of Darrell on Corfa and its director-founder Richarda Pain. In addition, his travelives are highly appreciated.

Gerald Darrell, in turn, wrote 37 books for his life, but only a few of them are still reprinted. Unlike Brother Lawrence, Gerald entered the story not as much as a writer as like a naturalist and enlightener. The main heritage of his heritage was the zoo in Jersey, where they are bred and produced on the will of rare animals, and the book "My family and other animals", one of the best books on travel in the history of literature.

Gerald Darrell and his wife Jackie. 1954.

7. Darrells seemed to decide to leave Corfu in 1938 - from that time the seventy years. First, for what reason did they go to Corfu at all? Why did you leave in 1939? And why never came there, if the experience gained there became a key to Laurence and Gerald's writer?

In early 1938, they realized that a new world war was coming, and began to prepare for departure from the island in 1939. Whether they had the opportunity to stay at Corfu if it were not for the war, - a controversial question. Mrs. Darrell at first went to Corfa Following the son of Lawrence in 1935, because it was possible to live there on her retirement than in Britain. But by 1938 she had financial difficulties, and in any case she would have to return home. In addition, children during this time rose and left the father's house, and Gerald, the youngest, had to learn.

By the end of the Second World War everything changed. Gerald turned twenty, the rest of the children by that time found their way in life. In addition, in the post-war world, it was hardly possible to afford to lead the same way of life that before the war with sufficiently scarce means.

Yes, and Corfu has forever changed.

Nevertheless, Darrells have repeatedly come back there. Lawrence and Gerald bought themselves at home in France, and Margo is next to his mother in Bornmouth. Only Leslie turned out to be financially insolvent and died in relative poverty in 1981.

Gerald, Louise and Lawrence Darrell. 1961.

8. Is there anyone alone who was familiar with Darrells on Corfu? And what places on Corfu should be visited to restore the course of events?

Mary Stefanidez, the Widow of Theodore, even though she is already in old age, still lives in London. Her daughter Alexy lives in Greece. And on the Corfu itself, in Perama, the confusion family still lives, who knew Darrells since 1935. The head of the family remains Menelos Contep, which owns the hotel AEGLI in Perama. Vasilis Contep, his son, Managing Corfu Holidays, owns a strawberry and pink villa, the first man of Darrells on Corfu. Now she is put up for sale for 1,200,000 euros.

Next to Aegli is the Batis Tavern, which Elena owns, Sister Melaosa. And the son and daughter-in-law Elena - Babis and Lisa are owned by luxury apartments on a hill rising above the tavern. Her daughter and granddaughter also own hotels, including Pondikonissi, located across the road from AEGLI and directly on the beach, which Darrells went when they lived in Penam.

The best chronicle of these years is the book Hilary Pipeti "In the footsteps of Lawrence and Gerald Darrells on Corfu, 1935-1939."

And in the center of Corfu, there is a School of Darrellov, in which every year courses under the leadership of one of Laurens Darrell - Richarda Pain are held.

9. And finally, what was Darrellov's contribution to the development of Corfu, if at all?

Invaluable. At the same time, the government, and the population of Corfu just now begin to realize him. The book "My family and other animals" is not only sold by millions of editions around the world, but has already been read by several generations of children within the framework of the school program. Only this book brought the island and residents of Corfu widely fame and prosperity.

Add all other books written by Darrell or about them; All this together as a result turned into something that can be called "Darrellovskaya industries", which continues to produce huge speeds and attract millions of tourists to the island. Their contribution to the tourist industry is huge, and now it exists on the island for everyone - no matter, the fan of you are Darrelles or not.

Gerald, Gerald regretted the influence that he had to develop Corfu, but in fact, this was mainly for the better, because when Darrells arrived there for the first time in 1935, most of the population lived in poverty. Now, in many ways, thanks to their stay there, the whole world knows about the island and most of the local live well-minded.

This is the greatest contribution of Darrellov to Corfu.

(c) Peter Harrison. Translation from English Svetlana Kalakutskaya.

For the first time printed in The Corfiot, May 2008, №209. Publication of the portal OpenSpace.ru.

Photos: Getty Images / Fotobank, Corbis / Foto S.A., AMATEURSINEDEN.COM, MONTSE & FERRAN / FLICKR.com, Mike Hollist / Daily Mail / Rex Features / Fotodom

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Gerald Darrell was born on January 7, 1925 in the Indian city of Jamshedpur, in the family of the construction engineer Samuel Darrell and Louise Floorence. In 1928, after the death of his father, the family moved to England, and five years later, at the invitation of Senior Brother Gerald, Lawrence Darrell - on the Greek Island of Corfu.

Among the first home teachers, Gerald Darrell had few real teachers. The only exception was the naturalist Theodor Stephanides (1896-1983). It was from him that Gerald received the first knowledge of zoology. Stefanidez more than once appears on the pages of the most famous book of Gerald Darrell - the novel "My family and other animals". He is dedicated to the book "Naturalist-amateur" (1968).

In 1939 (after the start of World War II), Gerald with his family returns back to England and is arranged to work in one of London pet stores. But the Career of Darrell Researcher was the work of Darrell Researcher at the Wipfordshire Zoo. Jerld got here immediately after the war to the position of "Boy at Cleverness". It was here that he received the first vocational training and began to collect "dossier", containing information about rare and endangered animal species (and this is 20 years before the emergence of an international red book).

In 1947, Gerald Darrell organizes two expeditions to Cameroon and Guyana. But the arrived of the expedition did not bring, and at the beginning of the 50s. Darrell was unemployed. Not a single zoo of Australia, the USA and Canada, where he addressed as requested, could not offer him works. Just a temporary refuge (housing and food) without any salary, he found in Zaganz at the fair of the resort town of Margate.

Relatives began to show concern about his future and the family council called the elder brother of Lawrence - a famous writer and diplomat, a representative of modernism in English literature of the 50-70s. He was painted by the idea that the youngest brother does not prevent the pen, especially since the British are literally preserved in the stories about animals. Geralda did not particularly delight, since he had difficulties with syntax and spelling.

As it often happens, the case has helped. Hearing once on the radio completely illiterate from the point of view of the biologist, a story about whose journey to West Africa, where he himself was, Darrell could not stand. I sat down and printed on the machine with two fingers my first story: "Hunting a hairy frog." And then a miracle happened. From the editorial office reported that the story was successful. Gerald even invited the radio itself. The fee forced him to sit for creating new stories.

The first book is "overwhelmed ark" (1952) - was devoted to traveling to Cameroon and caused enthusiastic responses, both readers and critics. The author noticed major publishers, and the fee from books allowed to organize an expedition to South America in 1954. However, a military coup in Paraguay broke out, and almost the entire living collection, collected with great difficulty, had to be thrown, carrying away from the junta (General Alfredo Stressner came to power, who became a dictator for a long 35 years). Darrell described his impressions of this trip in the next book - "under a canopy of drunk forest" (1955).

Then, at the invitation of Brother Larry rested in Cyprus and in Greece. Familiar places caused a lot of children's memories - so "Greek" trilogy appeared: "My family and animals" (1955), "birds, beasts and relatives" (1969) and "Garden of the Gods" (1978). The incredible success of "my family" (only in the UK she was reprinted more than 30 times and over 20 times in the United States) led to reasoning serious critics about the revival of English literature. Moreover, this work of the "unprofessional" author included in the program of graduation school examinations in literature.

Ironic Lawrence Darrell wrote about his younger brother: "The little devil writes perfectly! His style of freshness resembles the leaves of salad! " Gerald was a master of the "animal" portrait. All animals described by him are individual and remembered as if you met them yourself.

The incredible performance of Darrell struck others. He wrote more than 30 books (which were translated into tens of languages) and removed 35 films. The debut four-sterile television film "In Baughn for Beef", who came out in 1958, made all England to close to the TV screens. Later, at the beginning of the 80s., I managed to take shooting and in the Soviet Union closed. The result was the thirteenisseriy film Darrell in Russia (demonstrated on the first channel of domestic television in 1988) and the book "Durrell in Russia" (not translated into Russian).

Fantastic in the work of Gerald Darrell.

Among the fantastic works of the author, the story-tale of the "talking crust", which has been repeatedly published in Russia, uses the greatest fame. Some mystical stories entered the collections "Fillet Filter", "Picnic and other disgraces". Until now, the Russian Fantastic Travel Dilogy is not translated into Russian, as well as some stories and stories written for children.

From the unfinished projects of Gerald Darrell, you can highlight the musical about Dracula "I want to put a stake in my heart." "... There were such arias in it as" a wonderful day, today you can create evil "and" You have something to hide, Dr. Jackiel. "

Gerald Darrell is also the author of many poetic sketches, most of which have not been published during his life. "In my free time, I, as I strengthen, try to surpass the older brother in poetry. I wrote a cycle of poems about animals called "Anthropomorphia" and I hope that I will be allowed to illustrate them yourself. Naturally, my poems are more mystical and philosophical than poetic devans Larry ... ".

And yet the main merit of Gerald Darrell will remain created by him in 1959 on the island of Jersey Zoo and formed at its base in 1963, the Jersey Trust of the preservation of wild animals. The main idea of \u200b\u200bDarrell was to breed rare animals in a zoo and further resettlement of their natural habitat. Currently, this idea has become a generally accepted scientific concept. If it were not for the Jersey Trust, many species of animals would continue only in the form of stuffed in museums.

The future singer of the beast was born in 1925 in India. In the same time, at the age of two, he chose a profession: I still can not really see how to walk, Gerald was already interested in animals much more than people. In 1933, Darrells move to Corfu Island, where the perfect-paradise childhood of Gerald is held. Darrellov's house and garden are flooded with seagulls, hedgehogs, mantoms, donies and scorpions in match boxes, but the family patiently demoloses a difficult passion for the younger son.

It was not possible to think about the harmful effect of alcohol to the children's body, so the taste of Sun Greek wine was the sign of Jerry from the most tender age. Darrell always drank a lot, but alcohol never interfered with him. On the contrary, the splash of whiskey in a glass, a warm palm wine in a pumpkin Calabas, Jean, drunk out of the neck, became a mandatory poetic refrain in the description of his zoological expeditions, because one thing - just catching Cayman Sachkom and completely different - to turn everything the same thing In an easy-to-pin.

Lawrence Darrell somehow allowed himself skeptical of expressing the work of his brother's world star: "This, of course, not literature. Although, admitting your descriptions of animals and popopes are really funny. "

Descriptions of the beasts and Popopes brought Glory to Gerald and money that allowed him to fulfill the dream of life. In 1959, on the island of Jersey Darrell opened his own zoo. He shot films about animals, wrote books about animals and took care of animals in their zoo.

Alcohol addiction did not affect the performance, the sense of humor and the surprisingly clear mind of Gerald. His biographer D. Botting testified: "Alcohol needs Gerald, like food and water, he allows him to work." And yet alcohol won.

The personality of the writer did not suffer from the daily videos, but the liver was weaker. Cirrosis made him abandon his alcohol, but it was already too late: in 1995, Darrell died after an unsuccessful liver transplant operation.

Genius against consumption

1925-1933 was the fourth child in the family in which everyone had his passion. Mother adored cooking and gardening, the elder brother Larry - Literature (Lawrence Darrell became a serious writer), Brother Leslie was preserved on firearms, and sister Margo - on rags, flirt and cosmetics. The first word Jerry was not "mother", but "zoo". 1933-1938 lives with his family at Corfu. His favorite teacher becomes naturalist Theodor Stefanidis. Wine in the family is regularly served to dinner and dinner. 1939-1946 Return to England. At first, Gerald works at the pet store, then in the Wipside Zoo. Alcohol is the natural component of the life of a young beer, already then his ability to drink almost not drunk. 1947-1952 Rides on the expedition. In the jungle, the rural and savannah does not neglect the well-known method of disinfection of the body, like strong drinks. 1953-1958 The first books of the writer-Zverlyov - "overwhelmed ark" and "Three tickets to Edvero" - make it world famous. A considerable part of books occupy the descriptions of the gatherings with African leaders or Guian Indians. 1959-1989 creates its own zoo on the island of Jersey. 32 books of Darrell are published in forty countries. Removes several films and serials about animals. Everything also loves alcohol. 1990-1995 The liver disease caused by many years of alcohol use, forced the writer to abandon alcohol. Darrell made transplant, but the operation did not save it.

Darrell about alcohol - with tenderness

Hounds of bafte background carefully looked around - whether someone else erupts us, but all five thousand people crowded around, and he decided that he could open my secret. He leaned toward me and whispered: "We will soon go to my house, - in his tone he was heard by the adequacy - and we drink the whiskey" White Horse "!" Three tickets to Edverecher We are sitting in the bar on the backyards of Georgetown, drink Rum and ginger beer ... On the table there are a big guy's map, and from time to time someone leans and frightly frowning, imposes a look at her. Fillet from a halibut we lazily rest on the sand, thoughtfully passing out of hand to the hands of a huge bottle in a braid with a given turpentine Greek wine. Peeling silently, indulging in reflections.

Gerald Darrell (two wives, two lives)

Gerald Darrell - Famous English Writer, Zoologist, Naturalist. He loved nature, but women are no less. And his future wives defender Wildlife has long won.

Someone wise said that our fate is the people who surround us. And often our recognition, fame, success is only a consequence of the words they have said. Could a young ambitious beasts of Gerald Darrell be imagined, what will he become a famous writer? Yes, he sincerely hated all this scriban! ..

According to the family legend, the elder brother Larry played a fateful role in the life of the 26-year-old Gerald, somehow had a glowing visit. By that time, three expeditions in the tropics almost raised Gerald, recently, by the way, the groom. A young family lived in the resort town of Bournemouth, in a small apartment, somehow accommodated bed, a small table, a chest of drawers and one chair. There was nothing to live on that, the newlyweds barely reduced the ends meet. To read fresh newspapers, went to the reading room of the Bournemouth Library.

Well, take and write a book about your damn travels! "Propying Brother Lawrence Darrell, by that time the writer had already been.

Gerald wrote. Soon the family was already on what to live - his editions exceeded the editions of Larry's books.

Cute Jackie

In relation to women, Gerald Darrell was rather a fermented southerner than discreet, a terrible British. His childhood passed in India, where his father worked as an engineer on the construction of the railway. And after the death of the father, for a short time lived in London, the family moved to the Greek Island of Corfu. Therefore, sincere respect for Gerald to women in it, it was quite naturally combined with, let's say so, non-complexity and ease of relationships.

But numerous novels did not interfere with Darrell for many years to be happily married to Jaclin Wolfenden (Jackie, who became the heroine of his books). He was not able to melt the heart of a serious 19-year-old girl to melt a serious 19-year-old girl: she categorically refused meetings. But once he invited her to dine in the restaurant, and Jackie unexpectedly agreed. "To my surprise, I could not not admit that the evening was aimed at glory. We were very good together, "she wrote afterwards. It would still be - Darrell about what to tell: traveling to Africa, merry childhood years at Corfu ... Jackie also talked: she has never had such a careful and sensitive interlocutor.

Darrell did not cease to surprise his own relation to Jackie. Usually it was attracted by blondes - from those that are bigger and more enormous. However, Jackie was their full opposite: miniature, with big brown eyes, bold lips, dark brown hair. She behaved, rather, male - too independent, confident, practical and decisive.

When the lovers declared the decision to get married, Jackie's father refused to bless them. Gerald liked him as a witty interlocutor, but did not impress in the role of the son-in-law. As a result, Gerald and Jackie decided to marry without the consent of the Father. In the spring of 1951, future spouses staged a shaped escape, with a hurry fee and a farewell note.

Marriage collapsed

Newlyweds settled in the house of Sisters Gerald Margaret and lived quite modest for a long time. Then Darrell wrote his first story, then - the first book, and things went uphill. Jackie has always been nearby: in expeditions, while working on books, in the hardest period of life of Darrell, when he risked everyone and decided to have his own zoo. She refused his own career and became the wife of a famous person, "That very" Jackie from his books ...

But the years went. It seemed that yesterday they were so sincere and touching each other. However, contradictions and mutual irritation were gradually accumulated. Yes, his addiction to the bottle ... Their marriage collapsed.

... Lee McGjord Writer met in 1977 at the University of Duke in South Carolina. The girl admitted that he studies the social behavior of lemurs and the sound chat of Madagascar animals and birds. "If she told," Darrell recalled, "that her father was an Indian leader, and Martian's mother, I would not be so surprised. Communication of animals has always taken me the most. I stared at her. Yes, she was amazingly beautiful, but a beautiful woman who studies the behavior of animals, for me was almost the goddess! "

Of course, I praised the fact that the famous writer and zoologist, whose books she read out, became interested in her. Deciding to get married, both "High Contracting Parties" from the very beginning did not feed any illusions. Lee "married the zoo", although, of course, she also liked Darrell himself. But when Gerald went to an expedition to India, a correspondence began between lovers.

Friendship and love

Seriously and frankly Darrell told about his feelings: that he first perceived it as one of the next girlfriends, then sincerely carried away and finally loved. He wrote about his failure with Jackie. And added: "I hope that joint life and work will make your feelings to me deeper. Maybe it will not be love in the sense of the word that women magazines invest in it, but faithful and durable friendship. This is true love in my understanding. "

Perhaps these letters played a decisive role. Do not be them, Darrella could quite become a conventional couple living together exclusively from rational considerations. However, after such explanations, Lee, and Jerry became one to a truly closely close people. It happened not in one day, however, by the beginning of the eighties, Darrells were a sincere and loving pair. Until the last days of Gerald's life, they remained ...

Gerald Darrell (1925-1995) in the Reserve "Askania-Nova", USSR 1985

Like any Soviet child, I loved Jarld Darrell's books from childhood. Given the fact that I loved animals, and I learned very early, bookcases in childhood were pickyly searched for any books of Darrell, and the books themselves are repeatedly read.

Then I grew up, love for animals was a little dull, but the love of the books of Darrell remained. True, over time I began to notice that this love is not quite cloudless. If I first, I simply swallowed a book, as it should be smiling and then in the right places, later, reading them already in a mature age, I discovered something like kinda. There were few of them, they were skillfully hidden, but for some reason it seemed to me that Ironically and complacent merrycloth Darrell about something here, then there

as if sheeps a piece of his life or deliberately emphasizes the reader's attention on other things. I was not yet a lawyer, but for some reason I felt something here is wrong.

Biographies Darrell I, for shame my own, did not read. It seemed to me that the author had a very detailed detail painted his life in numerous books, without leaving the place for the speculation. Yes, sometimes, already in the Internet, I came across the "shocking" revelations from various sources, but they were idle and, honestly, they were hardly able to shock someone seriously. Well, yes, Gerald himself, it turns out, drank like a fish. Well, yes, he divorced his first wife. Well, yes, it seems to be rumored that Darrells were not so friendly and loving family, as it seems to be an inexperienced reader ...

But at some point I came across the biography of Gerald Darrell authorship of Douglas Botting. The book turned out to be quite voluminous and read I started randomly. But starting, he could not stop. I can not explain why. I, confess, has long found much more interesting books than Gerald Darrell's books. And I'm not ten years old. And yes, I have long understood that people very often tell a lie - for a variety of reasons. But I read. Not because I feel at Gerald Darrell some manical interest or persistently aspire to open all that for many years it hid it

family from journalists. Not. I just seemed interesting to find all those tiny shortness and meaningful signs that I caught in childhood.

In this regard, the book of the Botting was ideal. As it should be a good biographer, he is very detailed and calmly talks about Gerald Darrell throughout his life. From childoral pore to old age. He is impassten and, despite the immense respect for the object of the biography, does not seek to hide its vices, like

solemnly demonstrate to their public. Botting writes about a person, weigly, carefully, nothing is missing. This is not a hunter for dirty linen, completely opposite. Sometimes he is even shamefully laconited in those places of the biography of Darrell, who would have enough newspapers for a couple of hundred catchy headers.

Actually, the entire subsequent text, essentially, consists of an abstract of bar somewhere 90%, the remaining had to shove out of other sources. I simply wrote separate facts as reading, exclusively for myself, not assuming that the abstract would take more than two pages. But by the end of reading, they were twenty, and I realized that I really didn't know much about the idol of my childhood. And once again, no, I'm not talking about dirty secrets, family vices and other mandatory vicious ballast

affiant British family. Here I post only the facts that surprised me while reading, struck or seemed interesting. Simply put, individual and small details of Darrell's life, whose understanding, it seems to me, will make it possible to look at his life more carefully and read the books in a new way.

A post of separation into three parts so that fit. In addition, all the facts will be neatly divided into chapters - in accordance with the milestones of the life of Darrell.

The first chapter will be the most brief, because it tells about the early childhood of Darrell and his life in India.

1. Initially, Darreles lived in British India, where Darrell-senior worked fruitfully engineer-builder. He managed to provide his family, the revenues from his enterprises and securities have long helped them, but the price had to pay the harsh - at the age of forty with a small years, Lawrence Darrell (senior) died, apparently, from stroke. After his death, it was decided to return to England, where, as you know, the family did not stay for a long time.

2. It would seem that Jerry Darrell, a lively and direct child, who has a monstrous thirst for knowledge of the new, was supposed to be if not an excellent student of school training, then at least a soul of the company. But no. The school was contrary to such an extent that he was bad every time he was done whenever he was forcibly assigned. Teachers, for their part, considered him a stupid and lazy child.

And he himself almost deprived of consciousness from one only mention of school.

3. Despite the British citizenship, all family members experienced an amazingly similar attitude towards their historical homeland, namely, they could not stand it. Larry Darrell called her Pudding Island and argued that a mentally healthy person in Misty Albion was not able to survive for more than a week. The rest were with him

practically unanimous and tirelessly confirmed their position in practice. Mother and Margot subsequently settled firmly in France, adult Gerald followed. Leslie burned in Kenya. As for Larry, he was completely veil throughout the world at all, and in England he was rapidly driving, and with obvious displeasure. However, I already ran ahead.

4. The mother of a numerous and noisy family of Darrelles, despite the fact that it appears in the texts of the Son an absolutely infallible person who has only advantages, had its little weaknesses, one of whom was alcohol. Their mutual friendship was born back in India, and after the death of her husband only fortified.

According to memories of acquaintances and eyewitnesses, Mrs. Darrell went exclusively in the company with a bottle of Gina, but in the preparation of homemade wines eclipsed all and all. However, again running forward, love for

alcohol seemed to be handed over to all members of this family, although unevenly.

Let us turn by Chief Children to Jerry on Corfu, later laying the wonderful book "My Family and Other Beasts". I read this book as a child and reread once, probably twenty. And the older I became, the more I thought it seemed to me that the narrative was infinitely optimistic, bright and ironic, nothing to negotiate. Too beautiful and natural

there were pictures of the cloudless existence of the Darrell family in the pristine Greek paradise. I can not say that Darrell seriously embellished reality, smeared some shameful details or something like that, but the reader can surprise the discrepancy with reality.

According to the researchers of Creativity Darrell, biographers and critics, all the trilogy ("My family and other animals", "birds, beasts and relatives", "Garden of the Gods") is not very uniform in terms of authenticity and relifice the setled events, so believe it is completely Avtobiographic is still not worth it. It is believed that only the first book became truly documentary, the events set forth in it fully correspond to real, except, with insignificant impractions of fantasy and inaccuracies.

It should, however, consider that the book Darrel began to write at the age of thirty one year, and he had ten on Corfu, so many details of childhood could easily be lost in memory or turn imaginary details.

Other books sin the fiction is much more, which is rather an alloy of art and documentary literature. So, the second book ("birds, beasts and relatives") includes a large number

filved stories, about the inclusion of some of them Darrell even regretted. Well, the third ("garden of the gods") and is at all a artistic work with loved characters.

Corfu: Margo, Nancy, Larry, Jerry, Mom.

5. Judging by the book, Larry Darrell constantly lived with the whole family, drinking his members annoying self-confidence and poisonous sarcasm, as well as serving from time to time the source of the troubles of various shapes, properties and sizes. It does not quite correspond to reality. The fact is that Larry never lived in one house with his family. From the first day in Greece, he, together with his wife Nancy, filmed his own home, and in certain periods of time, even dwells in the next city, well, and to relatives to his relatives only occasionally, bother. Moreover, Margot and Leslie with the achievement of twenty years also showed attempts to live in an independent life and for some time they lived separately from other families.

Larry Darrell

6. How, do not remember his wife Nancy? .. However, it would be surprising if I remembered, because in the book "My family and other animals" it simply is missing. But she was not invisible. Nancy often stayed together with Larry in Darrell homes and certainly deserved at least a couple of text paragraphs. It is believed that she was scared from the manuscript by the author, allegedly because of the bad relationship with the mother of a restless family, but it is not. Gerald deliberately did not mention it in the book to establish an emphasis on "family", leaving only Darrells in focus.

From Nancy, it would hardly have happened the figure of the second plan like theodore or spiro, nevertheless not the service, but she didn't want to go to her family. In addition, at the time of publication of the book (1956), Larry and Nancy broke up, so it was even smaller to remember the old desire. So just in case the author lost his brother's wife at all. As if she was not at all on Corfu.

Larry with his wife Nancy, 1934

7. Temporary teacher Jerry, Kralevsky, shy fantasist and the author of insane stories "about Lady", existed in reality, only his last name had to be changed - with the original "Kraevsky" on Korlegovsky. It was hardly done because of the concern of the prosecution from the most inspired myth-making island. The fact is that Krayevski, together with his mother and all the canas tragically died during the war - the German bomb fell on his house.

8. Talking in detail about theodore of Stefanidez, Naturalist and the first real teacher Jerry, I will not. He noted enough for his long life to deserve. I note only that the friendship Theo and Jerry lasted not only in the "Corfutian" period. For decades, they met many times and, at least together and did not lead, retained excellent relations until death. He played a significant role in the Darrellov family, testifies to at least that both writing brothers, Larry and Jerry, who later dedicated to him books, Greek Islands (Lawrence Darrell) and "Birds, Beasts and Relatives" (Gerald Darrell ). He dedicated to him and Darrell and "Young Naturalist", one of the most successful works.

Theodore Stepanides

9. Remember the colorful history of the bone of the Greek, who killed his wife, but which the leadership of the prison releases periodically and dispel? This meeting actually happened, with one small difference - that Darrell, which became acquainted with a strange prisoner, called Leslie. Yes, Jerry attributed her to himself.

10. From the text it is that "Booth Tolstogius", the epic boat of the Darrellov family, on which Jerry performed his scientific expeditions, Leslie was built. In fact, just purchased. All of its technical improvements were to install a self-made mast (unsuccessful).

11. Another teacher Jerry, nameable by Peter (in fact, Pat Evans), did not leave the island during the war. Instead, he went to the partisans and manifested himself very well on this field. Unlike Lampgia Kraevsky, even stayed alive and after he returned to his homeland.

12. The reader involuntarily the feeling that the Darrellov family gained his edema immediately after arriving on the island, only a short time in a hotel. In fact, this period of their life was decently delayed, and it was pleasant to be called pleasant. The fact is that due to some financial circumstances, the mother of the family temporarily lost access to cash from England. So for some time the family lived almost injuncia, at the foot of the stern. What an even here ... The True Savior was Spiro, who not only found Darrells a new home, but also some unknown way all disagreements with the Greek bank.

13. Hardly a ten-year-old Gerald Darrell, taking from the spirir of goldfish, abducted by the resourceful Greek from the Royal Pond, assumed that thirty years later he himself would be an honorable guest in the royal palace.

Spiro and Jerry

14. By the way, financial circumstances, among others, explains the departure of the family back to England. Darrelia initially had shares of a Burmese enterprise inherited from the late father. With the arrival of war, this financial stream turned out to be completely blocked, and others became all thinner every day. It ended in that the missions of Darrell got up before the need to return to London to streamline its financial assets.

15. From the text there is a complete feeling that the family returned home in full compound with the appendage like heaps of animals. But this is a serious inaccuracy. Only Jerry himself returned to England, his mother, to take Leslie and Greek maid. All others remained at Corfu, despite the beginning of the war and the threatening position of Corfu in the light of the last military-political events. Larry and Nancy stayed there until the last, but then they left Corfu on the ship. All the most amazingly behaved margot, which in the text is depicted extremely near and inaccessible. She loved Greece so much, which refused to return even in case of occupation by her German troops. Agree, the non-real power of the Spirit for an innocent girl is twenty years old. By the way, she still left the island on the last aircraft, yielding to persuasion of one flight technique, for whom he later married.

16. By the way, there is another little detail relative to Margo, which still remained in the shade. It is believed that her short-term absence on the island (mentioned by Darrell) is associated with sudden pregnancy and departure to England for abortion. Here it is difficult to say something. Botting does not mention anything, but it is very tacty and not seen in attempts to purposely pull out skeletons from Darrellian cabinets.

17. By the way, the relationship of the British family and the root Greek population was not so idiotically as it seems on the basis of the text. No, no serious quarrels with local residents arose, but those surrounding on Darrells did not look very benevolently. The disturbing Leslie (about which is still ahead) at one time managed to grab the breakes in one time and I would not always remember with sober outcomes, well, and Margo considered the fallen woman at all, perhaps, in part because of her addictions to open swimsuits.

Here ends one of the main chapters of Gerald Darrell. As he himself confessed many times, Corfu imposed a very serious imprint on him. But Gerald Darrell after Corfu is already completely different Gerald Darrell. No longer a boy, carelessly studying the fauna in the parisader, already the tags and a young man who makes the first steps in the direction chosen by him. Perhaps the most exciting head of his life begins. Adventure expeditions, throwing, characteristic of youth gusts, hopes and chayan, love ...

18. The formation of Darrell ended, so really and without starting. He did not go to school, did not receive higher education and did not provide any scientific titles. In addition to self-education, the only "scientific" help was a short period of work in the English zoo at the lowest position of the utility worker. However, at the end of his life, he was a "honorary professor" of several universities. But it will be still very and very soon ...

19. At war, Joy Gerald did not get with a happy coincidence - turned out to be the owner of a launched sinus disease (chronic Qatar). "Do you want to fight, son? Honestly asked his officer. "No, sir." "You're a coward?" "Yes, sir". The officer sighed and sent a failed recruitment of the ravoisi, mentioning, however, that in order to call himself a coward, he needs decently masculinity. Be that as it may, at the war Gerald Darrell did not come, which could not but rejoice.

20. Like the same failure and his brother Leslie. The big lover of everything that could shoot, Leslie wanted to go to the war volunteer, but he was wounded by soulless doctors - he had not everything in order with her ears. Judging by the individual events of his life, treatment was also subject to the fact that it was located between them, but about it separately and later. I can only notice that in my family, despite the hot love by the mother, he was considered a dark and a disturbing horse, which helps worry and trouble.

21. Shortly after returning to the historic Motherland, Leslie managed to attach a child to the very Greek maid and, even though there were no Victorian times, the situation turned out to be very delicate. And seriously jumped the reputation of the family after it turned out that he was not going to marry, nor recognize the baby Leslie. Thanks to the concerns of Margot and Mother, the situation managed to lower on the brakes, and to give her child and upbringing. However, the pedagogical effect on Leslie was not faced.

22. For a long time, he could not find work, he was frankly idle, then I was falling into any dubious adventures, from the exploitation of alcohol (legal if?) That his family was shyly called "speculation". In general, the guy went to success, passing along the way, trying to find his place in a large and cruel world. Almost came. In the sense, at some point he had to urgently gather on a business trip to Kenya, where and work for many years. In general, he causes certain sympathy. The only one from Darrelles, who could not find his calling, but on all sides was surrounded by famous relatives.

23. There is a feeling that Leslie became outcast immediately after Corfu. Darrells somehow very quickly and willingly cut off his branch from a family tree, despite the fact that she was still shared with her. Margot about Brother: " Leslie - short, self-full invader at home, a roblaseian figure, crumbling paints on canvas or deeply immersed in labyrinths of weapons, boats, beers and women, also without a penny, who invested his inheritance in a fishing boat, who drowned before his first swimming in Pool Harbor».

Leslie Darrell.

24. By the way, Margo itself also did not avoid commercial temptation. She turned his part of the inheritance to the fashionable "boarding house", from which he intended to have a stable gessaf. She wrote her own memoirs on this matter, but I, confess, did not have time to read them. However, given the fact that later, with two living brothers, she was forced to work the maid on the liner, the "boarding business" did not justify itself.

Margo Darrell

25. The expeditions of Gerald Darrell did not make it famous, albeit eagerly lit in the newspapers and on the radio. He became famous overnight, after making his first book "Overloaded Ark." Yes, these were times when a person, writing the first book in his life, was put on the world celebrity overnight. By the way, Jerry did not want to write this book. Testing physiological disgust to the writer, he tormented himself for a long time and households and to the end the text of Domuclil only thanks to his brother Larry, infinitely inspired and motivating. Following the first quickly followed two more. All instantly became bestsellers. Like all other books that he published after them.

26. The only book, from the writing of which Gerald, in his own admission, was pleasure, was "my family and other animals." Not surprising, given that absolutely all members of the Darrellov family recalled Corfu with constant tenderness. Nostalgia is still a typical English dish.

27. Even when reading the first books of Darrell, there is a feeling that the story is conducted on behalf of an experienced professional catcher of animals. His confidence, his knowledge of the Wild Fauna, his judgments, all this gives a man of a lot diverse, all his life dedicated to catching wild animals in the most distant and terrible corners of the globe. Meanwhile, at the time of writing these books, Jarelda was only slightly slightly in twenty, and all his luggage experienced in three expeditions, each of which lasted about six months.

28. Several times the young cattle of animals had to be on the edge of death. Not as often as it happens with the characters of adventure novels, but still much more often than the average British gentleman. Once he was treated because of his own recklessness, he had a pit sided with poisonous snakes. Incredible success, he himself considered what he managed to get out of her alive. Another time the snake tooth still overtakes his sacrifice. Being confident that it deals with the Nai Snake, Darrell made carelessness and almost moved into a different world. I only saved the fact that the doctor miraculously was the necessary serum. A few more than a few times he had to get sick with the most pleasant diseases - sandy fever, malaria, jaundice ...

29. Despite the image of a fried and energetic catcher of animals, Gerald behaved in everyday life as a true homeie. He could not tolerate physical effort and easily could sit all day in the chair.

30. By the way, all three expeditions were equipped personally by Gerald himself, and inheritance from the father, received by him with the achievement of majority, was used for their financing. These expeditions gave him a considerable experience, however, from a financial point of view turned out to be fully collapsed, without beating even the funds spent.

31. Initially, Gerald Darrell addressed the indigenous population of British colonies not very politely. He considered it possible to order them, to drive as he wonders, and did not put on one level with a British gentleman. However, this attitude to representatives of the third world is rapidly changed. Having live in society in the society of dark-skinned for several months, Gerald began to treat them quite in human and even with obvious sympathy. Paradox, later his books were repeatedly criticized just because of the National Factor. At that time, Britain joined the post-colonial repentance, and to withdraw on the text of the text of non-zeroish, ridiculous speaking and sinking savages was considered no very politically correct.

32. Yes, despite the squall of positive criticism, worldwide fame and millions of colors, Darrell's books were often criticized. And sometimes - from the side of lovers not multicolored people, and the most none of animal lovers. Greenpeaces and neo-ecological movements, the paradigm of which suggested the full "Hands away from nature" arose and formed and were formed, and the zoos often considered the concentration camps for animals. Darrell was a lot of blood, while he argued that zoos helps to keep the endangered types of fauna and achieve their stable reproduction.

33. There were in the biographies of Gerald Darrell and those pages that he, apparently, would be eagerly burned. For example, somehow in South America, he tried to catch a young hippo. The occupation is complex and dangerous, since they do not walk, and the parents of the hippopotamus are made at the sight of their siblos, they are extremely dangerous and evil. The only way out was to kill two adult hippitts, so that they could catch their cubs without interference. Sticking the heart, Darrell went to it, I really needed "big animals" for zoos. The case was unsuccessful for all his participants. Killing the female of the Hippopotam and the proven of the male, Darrell discovered that the young of the cub at this moment just swallowed the hungry alligator. Finit. This case imposed a serious imprint on him. First, this episode Darrell was silent, without inserting any text. Secondly, from this point on, he, before with interest, faded and not badly shooting, completely stopped the destruction of fauna with his own hands.