Lawrence Durrell Titles Now Available in Electronic Format

Cover of "Justine"
courtesy of Open Road Media

Lawrence Durrell was born in British India in 1912, though he was ever disassociating himself with Britain. He considered himself a citizen of the world, in a manner of speaking. He went on to become a prolific writer who published novels, poetry and even travel guides. Until now, his works have only been available in print, limiting the distribution significantly in this digital era. However, Open Road Media has decided to launch 28 of his titles in e-book format. This will be the first time ever that Lawrence Durrell's books will be published electronically.

Those who already own print copies of Durrell's work may still want to consider grabbing these e-books. Each of them contains an author biography and photos that are not available in the print versions. Furthermore, there will be several introductions that are only available in the e-books.

For those unfamiliar with the work of Lawrence Durrell, the following is an excerpt of his first full-length novel and the first novel in his renowned Alexandria Quartet -- "Justine."


"Capitally, what is this city of ours? What is resumed in the word Alexandria? In a flash my mind’s eye shows me a thousand dust-tormented streets. Flies and beggars own it today — and those who enjoy an intermediate existence between either. Five races, five languages, a dozen creeds: five fleets turning through their greasy reflections behind the harbour bar. But there are more than five sexes and only demotic Greek seems to distinguish among them. The sexual provender which lies to hand is staggering in its variety and profusion. You would never mistake it for a happy place.The symbolic lovers of the free Hellenic world are replaced here by something different, something subtly androgynous, inverted upon itself. The Orient cannot rejoice in thesweet anarchy of the body — for it has outstripped the body. I remember Nessim once saying — I think he was quoting — that Alexandria was the great winepress of love; those who emerged from it were the sick men, the solitaries, the prophets — I mean all who have been deeply wounded in their sex."


Visit Durrell's Open Road Media page to learn more about his most famous series and about the author himself. The e-books are also available via this page.


*Note: Durrell's e format titles are currently available in the U.S. with limited distribution in Canada.


Shelly Barclay