The Aye-Aye and I

This book is another interesting as well as entertaining product from Gerald Durrell, drawing on his lifetime as a collector and conservator of endangered and unusual wildlife. Well worth reading - several times!

This book was absolutely fabulous. As a college student interested in someday studying aye-ayes in the forests of Madagascar, reading this book was sheer pleasure. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested at all in lemurs, Madagascar, or simply in animal anecdotes or conservation.

Durrell's writing brings the reader behind the scenes in this awesome and mystical country. Travel to unexplored villages and rainforests and expirence life in the cities. Awe inspiring indeed.

The aye-aye and I is a quick and easy read and the relatively famous author has one of the best writing styles I've ever seen. It tells of the trials and tribulations of the late Gerald Durrell through his trip through Madagascar , though it is humorous it also has many insights to the people and wildlife of this interesting island.

Like all of Gerald's Durrell's books, The Aye-Aye and I will make you laugh cover to cover at the encounters between Durrell's party and the animal and human inhabitants of Madagascar. Since this book was written when Durrell was bringing back animals for the breeding programs he hoped would save them from extinction (in earlier books, he was bringing animals back for zoos), the book also has interesting comments of the state of the environment and economy in Madagascar and its effect on the animal (and human) populations. The aye-aye sounds like an extraordinary animal. I hope he managed to save it.