Durrell, Lawrence

Bitter Lemons

New York, NY, USA: E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc., 1957. First Edition. “This is not a political book, but simply a somewhat impressionistic study of the moods and atmospheres of Cyprus during the troubled years 1953-6. I went to the island as a private individual and settled in the Greek village of Bellapaix. Subsequent events as recorded in these pages are seen, whenever possible, through the eyes of my hospitable fellow-villagers, and I would like to think that this book was a not ineffective monument raised to the Cypriot peasantry and the island landscape. It completes a trilogy of island books.” (Lawrence Durrell, from Introduction.) Lawrence Durrell (1912–1990) was an expatriate British novelist, poet, dramatist, and travel writer and the oldest brother of naturalist and writer Gerald Durrell (1925–1995). Lawrence’s early years were spent in India, but after receiving some education at Darjiling’s College of St. Joseph, Durrell moved to England to study at St. Edmund’s School in Canterbury. Refused admission to Cambridge University, Durrell left England when he was 23, and spent his 20s and 30s predominantly in Greece or, during World War II, in Egypt. In 1957 he took up residence in France where he remained until his death in 1990 at the age of 78. Durrell is known primarily as the author of The Alexandria Quartet (1957­–1960) a tetralogy of novels widely considered to be among the finest achievements in 20th-century fiction. Continuing in the tradition of James Joyce (1882–1941) and D.H. Lawrence (1885–1930), Durrell experiments with the structure of the novel while also probing the human psyche. His work is infused with observations on the nature of reality and sexuality, based in part on the theories of Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud. In The Alexandria Quartet, for example, Durrell employs the Einsteinian notion of space-time continuum to explore the elusive nature of truth and the potential for an infinite number of ways to approach the same material. His novels often feature a number of characters with varied interests, enabling Durrell to examine and contrast different cultural and philosophical ideas. Durrell’s baroque, sensuous prose style and his vivid description of landscape have been highly praised. Offered today is the 1957 autobiographical work Bitter Lemons. The book covers and describes the three years (1953–1956) Durrell spent on the island of Cyprus. As the inside front flap of the dust jacket says: “Partly because of his ability to speak fluent Greek, but mainly because of his rare understanding of the people of Cyprus, Durrell found a ready welcome in the little village where he chose to settle. His portrayal of the warm, friendly people among whom he made his home is but one of this book’s many delights. There are vivid pictures of the villages and their ways of life, the ancient edifices, the flowers, the mountains and sea, the sunlight that gave the island its unique, peaceful quality…” and “Gradually, however, life on the sunny island was darkened by political turmoil which exploded into a revolution when Cypriots, crying for union with Greece, rose up against the British. Durrell movingly recounts the slow deterioration of the political situation and the part he tried to play in helping both sides to understand each other.” A monumental and moving work! From the collection of Thomas Pohrt, the acclaimed illustrator & son of Richard A. Pohrt. Thomas, along with his brothers Richard (a noted Native American successor-scholar & namesake of his father) & the late Karl (1947-2013), are/were among the most beloved & accomplished members of the Ann Arbor community. Karl Pohrt was an esteemed bookseller, publisher, journalist & academician who befriended the proprietor of & was an early colleague/mentor to Third Mind Books. We are highly honored to present this & more gems from Tom Pohrt's collection. Hardcover in clipped dust jacket. First edition as stated at copyright page, presumed first printing though not explicated as such thereon. Book in very fine condition with only minimal wear to fine edges; dust jacket in very fine condition with slight wear to fine edges, and light smudging to front and back covers. Very Fine / Very Fine. [Item #7583]

Price: $50.00