Specify Of Books The Alexandria Quartet (Alexandria Quartet #1-4)
| Title | : | The Alexandria Quartet (Alexandria Quartet #1-4) |
| Author | : | Lawrence Durrell |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Deluxe Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 884 pages |
| Published | : | December 1st 1991 by Penguin Books (first published 1960) |
| Categories | : | Fiction. Classics. Historical. Historical Fiction. Literature. Northern Africa. Egypt |
Lawrence Durrell
Paperback | Pages: 884 pages Rating: 4.17 | 11007 Users | 423 Reviews
Commentary During Books The Alexandria Quartet (Alexandria Quartet #1-4)
Lawrence Durrell's series of four novels set in Alexandria, Egypt during the 1940s. The lush and sensuous series consists of Justine(1957) Balthazar(1958) Mountolive(1958) Clea(1960).Justine, Balthazar and Mountolive use varied viewpoints to relate a series of events in Alexandria before World War II. In Clea, the story continues into the years during the war.
One L.G. Darley is the primary observer of the events, which include events in the lives of those he loves, and those he knows. In Justine, Darley attempts to recover from and put into perspective his recently ended affair with a woman. Balthazar reinterprets the romantic perspective he placed on the affair and its aftermath in Justine, in more philosophical and intellectual terms.
Mountolive tells a story minus interpretation, and Clea reveals Darley's healing, and coming to love another woman.
Mention Books Toward The Alexandria Quartet (Alexandria Quartet #1-4)
| Original Title: | The Alexandria Quartet |
| ISBN: | 0140153179 (ISBN13: 9780140153170) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Series: | Alexandria Quartet #1-4 |
| Setting: | Alexandria(Egypt) Egypt |
Rating Of Books The Alexandria Quartet (Alexandria Quartet #1-4)
Ratings: 4.17 From 11007 Users | 423 ReviewsEvaluation Of Books The Alexandria Quartet (Alexandria Quartet #1-4)
Looking over the Goodreads reviews of this tetralogy, I find almost everyone gave it either five stars with the note that it's the greatest work they have ever read and that it changed their lives, to one or two stars marked by utter impatience. I can identify with both. There are breathtakingly beautiful descriptions of every aspect of nature, light, desert, sea, wildlife; and repeated descriptions of the lovely, decadent, and deadly city of Alexandria. Durrell makes you feel the heat, smellWriting a review of something I read more than thirty years ago is difficult but I suspect reviewing Durrell's Quartet is difficult at any time. I remember being confused by much of it but feeling compelled to read the four separate novels nonetheless. What remains in my memory today is the heady atmosphere of heat, intrigue, Cadafy's poetry and the mysterious city of Alexandria which Durrell captured in his own idiosyncratic way. The characters and their doings are long forgotten.I don't think
Probably one of the most spectacular things I've read in a long time. The writing is exquisite: ornate and sweeping. The characters are cast from all corners of Egyptian society, bringing high and low together in a sensuous jumble. The shifting narrative means that as you go through the series you get more and more perspective on the characters and essential plot points. Initial impressions are upended and all wrong. More and more illusions are shattered and you're left with something painful,
Being a serial book-adulterer I have fallen into and wandered out of love with an amoral number of books - but I remain forever in thrall to the Alexandria Quartet.Of course, I may change my mind in ten years. Let's just wait and see.
Well. This was far from being "among the greatest works of English literature in the twentieth century" as claimed by the so-called Modern Library (whoever they are). It was unique, challenging and bizarre as well as, at times, inconsistent (dare I say flawed?). And yet somehow in the flaws is a level of honesty not found in so many books that smoothly portray "reality" with details intended to seduce the reader into believing. That trickery of perception.Here's how it went for me: beautiful,
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder they say. And beauty of a word is in the eye of the reader and beauty of a thought is in the mind of the thinker. The Alexandria Quartet is a very beautiful book in all the aspects. And it is written in magical language.Science is the poetry of the intellect and poetry the science of the heart's affections.Relativity rules. All the events are relative and their interpretation depends on the vantage point of a beholder.
Lawrence Durrell, to me, has to be the most celebrated English novelist of the 20th century. Ive read all of his books but "The Alexandria Quartet" is unquestionably his most brilliant work in the period just before the Second World War in Alexandria.It was originally four novels: Justine, Balthazar, Mountolive and Clea and they have been combined into this work. I read this book about twenty years ago and I look at it from time to time just to read the exquisite style. I still love it. I think
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