recreational reading?

D

dunstbunny

Well-Known Member
Over the time I have already retrieved a bunch of good reading ideas from this place, but more of the serious kind, and there are always lots of scientific essays out in the internet.

But... it's vacation time, the sun is shining, the lake is glittering... I want some light reading.

Something like Crichton's "Next" or Cook's "Chromosome 6". It doesn't necessarily have to do with apes, Gear&Gear's "Raising Abel" was fun too, all DNA mishaps are always welcome on my reading list.
Also, I don't mind childrens' or YA literature. I love "Ivan" and the ape books by Eliot Schrefer, too.

Enrich me please! :)
 
the only primate novel I can think of off-hand is Friend Monkey by P. L. Travers (who also wrote a series of books about a nanny called Mary Poppins). I haven't read it for a few decades but I liked it.
 
The Rhino with Glue-On Shoes and other surprising true stories of zoo vets and their patients (by Lucy H. Spelman DVM and Ted Y. Mashima DVM) is one of my favorites books ever! :D
A collection of short but amazing stories from a variety of different vets working with different animals in zoos and in the wild. :)
I really recommend it and you can just read one story and put the book down to pick it up later and read a completely different story! :D
 
'My Family and Other Animals' by Gerald Durrell is a pleasant read. It always seemed so inspirational to the 12 (or so) year old me.
 
PAT said:
'My Family and Other Animals' by Gerald Durrell is a pleasant read. It always seemed so inspirational to the 12 (or so) year old me.
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I second that recommendation wholeheartedly. Actually, anything by Durrell is good, but that one is a must. And if you've never read a Durrell, then you are missing out. And "My Family & Other Animals" would be a great place to start.

:p

Hix
 
Hix said:
I second that recommendation wholeheartedly. Actually, anything by Durrell is good, but that one is a must. And if you've never read a Durrell, then you are missing out. And "My Family & Other Animals" would be a great place to start.

:p

Hix
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And if you can't be bothered reading the book - you can always watch the film! Durrell is an excellent author though, all his books are brilliant.
 
zooboy28 said:
And if you can't be bothered reading the book - you can always watch the film! Durrell is an excellent author though, all his books are brilliant.
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I watched the film recently ;)

There was also a mini-series about 1987 or so which had Brian Blessed as Spiro.
 
well I'd seen it before so it wasn't a first-time viewing. I like it. It has a slow nostalgic air, which the BBC is good at (I think it was BBC?).

It sort of wandered randomly about without going anywhere in particular, but that was fine by me. And it managed to retain the Durrell humour I thought.

The actor for Spiro was better than Brian Blessed but I say that based solely on the fact that Spiro explicitly did not have a beard, whereas Brian Blessed is renowned for his big bushy beard and therefore it seemed very wrong!

IMDB Edits:
1987 tv series (eight episodes): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0166450/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_85

2005 movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482552/?ref_=nv_sr_1
 
I still contend that the best book ever written about animals or natural history is Moby-Dick.
 
Thank you so far!

The Rhino book sounds promising, and the Durrell series too (I was surprised that the library has them here in German).
Also Friend Monkey is now on my list.
err... Moby Dick... both book and movie bored me to tears, I apologize. I suppose it's because the whale is more a methaphore than an animal.

And I can always be bothered to read a book! Rather than watch a movie (I moved about year ago and still haven't plugged in my DVD...)

Please continue! I am a fast reader! :D
 
I found the movie "My Family and other animals" in full length on you tube!
It's in Hungarian :) but as it has been filmed rather true to the book it doesn't matter. At least you can learn what "magenpies" are called in Hungarian: sorrykacks. LOL.
 
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