Leslie Durrell Early Life, Career, and Brother

Explorations of the life of the attractive and complex character, Leslie Durrell, prove this statement true, for the life of a man belonging to the wonderful and, indeed, extraordinary Durrell family was just as colorful and cheered as the lives of most other family members.

Early Life

Leslie Durrell was born in a family that could well have been far from bland as one might perceive. The boy was born and raised in Corfu, Greece, in the 1930s and was a member of a rather peculiar and doubly tight-knit family which was to be thrown into fame via the pen of his brother Gerald.

The impact that the majority of the Durrells had on every other is that the entire family was full of young spirits full of creativity, passion, and inspiration for the appreciation of life. Leslie in his youth was quite distinct from his elder more literary and naturalist brother, Gerald.

He was more realistic and physically stronger, though not exactly polished at that. Their arena of escapade was the island of Corfu which provided a fairy tale back drop to the Durrell children’s early years enchanting the young ones with their naturalist keen mother, Louisa Durrell.

Career

Education and literature were standard for Leslie’s siblings, but Leslie went a very different route. He was more bodily, mechanically inclined and he was more designed and endowed for practical things. The Early Years up to World War II were chaotic for many families and Leslie’s mechanical skills and adventurous orientation had a purpose.

He moved on to get involved in activities that involved usage of some mechanized equipment and other business-like activities. Many young men of his generation were affected by historical occurrences In the case of Leslie, he was not an exception.

The war years however were most formative and provided experiences which made him what he was and also the experiences which shaped the future course of his life.

About Brother: Gerald Durrell and Family

Paradoxes of Leslie should be observed by considering the fantastic family setting of the Durrells. His brother Gerald would grow up to prominence as a naturalist, author and wildlife conservationist of International renown.

While Gerald was already amassing animals, churning out bestsellers, and founding conservation organizations, Leslie was another side of the family’s Kamikaze energy. Leslie and Gerald were definitely on one level, friends, but there was also a competitive side to the partnership.

Although the characters differed by their personality and the fate that had chosen for them they had a great family relationship. It was successional to read Gerald’s writing in which he painted Leslie with elements of affection and amusement to reflect his brother’s vigor and no-nonsense attitude towards life.

Leslie lead a life full of utilitarian arsenal, heroic exploratory tendencies and the peculiar identity built into the Durrell’s family fabric. He might not have been as famous as his brother Gerald around the world but still he was indeed an asset to the family.