I don't usually come into here, but there's an interesting event.
The American Scholar has just published a totally interesting article about the Alexandrian Quartet at
http://www.theamericanscholar.org/su07/quartet-trueheart.htmlLet's be clear that Lawrence Durrell's literary peak occurred before most of you were born, in the late 60's or so. But for sure, he was a literary genius and has since been a landmark for the school of British fiction. Even as late as last year there are subtle homages to his works in film and the works of later British writers. Nobody since has even touched him.
The Alexandria Quartet is a series of four novels, spinning around the failed love affair of a British diplomat (Mountolive) and an Alexandrian woman (Justine) against the backdrop of post-war Alexandria. The plot is complex and suspenseful, and the imagery of Alexandria and its archtypal characters borders upon the hallucinogenic.
A single love affair seen through the eyes of four people, each having their own novel, and deliciously building up to the heart-wrenching apotheosis in the final novel.
The Alexandrian Quartet is one of these things that you read that mark a milestone in your literary awareness.
Wiki on it at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Alexandria_QuartetI was surprised and delighted that the American Scholar published this article last week, and thought to post it here in this long-running and very worthwhile thread. I decided to read the whole quartet *AGAIN*. If anybody has read this quartet, or is reading it now, I would love to hear your comments via PM...
