The Lawrence Durrell Travel Reader (Paperback)

by Lawrence Durrell (Author), Clint Willis (Editor) "SOMEWHERE BETWEEN CALABRIA AND CORFU the blue really begins..." (more)
Key Phrases: bitter lemons, Facteur Cheval, Old Mathieu, Marine Venus (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Durrell, a twentieth-century British writer admired by discriminating readers, was the author of the Alexandria Quartet, a novel cycle named for the alluring and mysterious Egyptian city in which it was set. He also traveled avidly and consequently established a reputation as a brilliant travel writer. Evidence is made concrete in this anthology, in which excerpts from Durrell's book-length travelogues are gathered with short pieces published independently. His particular love for the islands of the Mediterranean shines from its pages, and such passion impels travel literature to its fullest purpose: to stir the reader's imagination and longing. Durrell's fundamental philosophy about travel is declared, and the tone for this entire anthology is set, by the first piece, "Landscape and Character," a 1960 essay originally published in the New York Times Magazine--his sentiment codified as "human beings are expressions of their landscape, but in order to touch the secret springs of a national essence you need a few moments of quiet with yourself." Quiet time with this book is its own great reward. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"In prose now ceremonious, now louche, it superbly captures the spirit of that place and does so with a generosity of imagination rare in any writing, including 'fiction."'

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Product Details

• Paperback: 375 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (April 14, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786713704
• ISBN-13: 978-0786713707
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #544,305 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compared to most travel writing, should be 6 stars, February 14, 2008

By	David Chacko "author of Devil's Feathers" (Istanbul) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Lawrence Durrell Reader is a compendium of his best travel writing. All the entries concern the Mediterranean World and particularly its islands--Corfu, Rhodes, Cyprus and Sicily, with Provence and Delphi thrown in for continental balance. The collection celebrates what Durrell liked to call "Spirit of Place." It may seem occasionally dated as we move into the final decadance of condominium development. It may seem nostalgic in an age where beachfront hotels supply "animation" for its patrons. But from the exuberance of Prospero's Cell to the sadness of Bitter Lemons, Durrell will tell you everything you need to know about the places he looked for in himself.


Less Than a Shadow