Beasts in My Belfry

“Expertly narrated by Rupert Degas…Durrell’s enthusiasm for all manner of fauna is ably conveyed by Degas, as is his gift for wry, fanciful description…Durrell writes with Dickensian relish, ably assisted by Degas’s tremendous facility with character voices, and with accents that range from West African pidgin to Argentinian Spanish, German, French, Malagasy, and parrot…Less showy than these verbal pyrotechnics but no less masterful is Degas’ interpretation of Durrell himself, droll and slightly posh, with a wry appreciation for the foibles and eccentricities of man and beast alike, anchored by an earnest, clear-eyed sense of kinship with every living thing. Alternately breezy, curmudgeonly, fascinated, and bemused, Degas perfectly captures Durrell’s spirit, and the abundant charm of his literary escapades, which are certain to divert and educate listeners of almost any age.”