Sunday, May 9, 2021

Book Review - "This shouldn't happen to a vet" by James Harriot & "The Bafut Beagles" by Gerald Durrell



Read in Oct 2019

Last six weeks reading drenched me with animal stories. This time there was a bit of diversion from James Harriot stories. After finishing his fourth book in continuation " It shouldn't happen to a vet", I picked up much recommended and accomplished animal story-teller Gerald Durrell's "the Bafut Beagles".

Both British, both animal lovers, both master story teller who kept you engaged/ glued with the subject and stories, however, there is a distinct difference, whereas Harriot detailed the anatomy of animals within his stories, Durrell's pen takes you the nature that most of us may not have been exposed to, but would master the geography of Cameroon's dense jungles after reading the description.

James talks about his failures and embarrassment where some of his clients respond with utter rudeness and some extremely polite.

Durrell describes some lovely characters who helped him get animals he was looking for and made friends with all those people and mixed with locals is deep interiors of civilisation and earned their respect by intermingling. Knowledge of rare animals and courage/ boldness fall short to describe him.

My journey exploring the animal kingdom stories by both will continue for a while as they both have been vociferous writers and there is so much more to read.







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