mind and of which this book is the result.
Under cover of darkness, we slipped into the law office where I worked, coaxed the photocopier into life, and spent the next two hours copying all that we had found. Having established a bundle of copies which I felt would provide a fair selection of Durrellâs writing in this form, I used my charm and the promise of some pocket money to persuade Janet, one of the secretaries at my office, to prepare a typescript for me.
My plan had been to publish the collection under the imprint of my own Delos Press. In the meantime, Richard Pine, director of the Durrell School of Corfu and author of the most impressive Lawrence Durrell: The Mindscape , had provided much encouragement by adding some editorial notes to the copy I had prepared. Richardâs support and contribution may have come at a time when my interest would otherwise have flagged, given that the project then seemed beyond the scope of both my finances and competence as an editor.
I also had the benefit of advice and editorial encouragement from Dr. James Gifford of Fairleigh Dickinson University. As well as being aware of his scholarly work, I knew that he was instrumental in the republishing of Durrellâs first two novels, Pied Piper of Lovers and Panic Spring . I am immensely grateful for his efforts.
That this selection of essays has progressed from being âgoodâ to exceptional is entirely down to his work and diligence in finalising and editing the selection now available.
Much of what Durrell wrote as occasional pieces about Provence is readily available elsewhere, such as in the Spirit of Place collection. For the most part, the essays reproduced here are reprinted for the first time.
My epigraph from Pope-Hennessyâs excellent and evocative book opens with the words, Provence is âa taste.â So fiery has my passion been for the work of Lawrence Durrell that I benefited from Larryâs munificent encouragement to publish two of his books under my own Delos Press imprint: with Penelope Durrell-Hope, a revised edition of An Irish Faustus (1987) and a short text he wrote specially for Delos, Henri Michaux: The Poet of Supreme Solipsism . I am ever grateful for the opportunity to have published these books and this collection therefore seems to be the best possible tribute to a writer of such style, inspiration, and imagination.
Salut, Larry.
I am gratified that the following shared my commitment to seeing this collection of writing published: Peter Dixon; Janet King for doing the first typescript; Anthony Astbury for the first proof reading; John Glass for adding his editorial skills; Anthea Morton Saner and her successor Camilla Goslett at Curtis Brown for agreeing to the contractual side; Richard Pine of the Durrell School of Corfu for editorial guidance; Penelope and John Hope for offering their wisdom and inspiration; Brewster Chamberlin for checking the chronology I prepared to assist my work on the project; and Tony Rudolf for perfecting my weak translations from the French when only versions in that language are available.
Finally, and most importantly, to Françoise Kestsman Durrell who, as Durrellâs literary executor, so promptly agreed to this publication when first mooted as a Delos Press book.
Peter Baldwin
Moseley, Birmingham, England
November 2014
Acknowledgements
I COULD NOT HAVE COMPLETED THIS COLLECTION without a good deal of help from many people. Peter Baldwin first envisioned this collection for Delos Press, which has produced many fine editions. I have benefited from much correspondence with Peter as well as a detailed conversation in Stratford-Upon-Avon in 2009 with regard to the changes to the project. In the same year, Fairleigh Dickinson University supported two weeks of research in Oxford where I completed the majority of the revisions to the manuscript. The staff of the Bodleian Library were extremely helpful with locating several otherwise
Under cover of darkness, we slipped into the law office where I worked, coaxed the photocopier into life, and spent the next two hours copying all that we had found. Having established a bundle of copies which I felt would provide a fair selection of Durrellâs writing in this form, I used my charm and the promise of some pocket money to persuade Janet, one of the secretaries at my office, to prepare a typescript for me.
My plan had been to publish the collection under the imprint of my own Delos Press. In the meantime, Richard Pine, director of the Durrell School of Corfu and author of the most impressive Lawrence Durrell: The Mindscape , had provided much encouragement by adding some editorial notes to the copy I had prepared. Richardâs support and contribution may have come at a time when my interest would otherwise have flagged, given that the project then seemed beyond the scope of both my finances and competence as an editor.
I also had the benefit of advice and editorial encouragement from Dr. James Gifford of Fairleigh Dickinson University. As well as being aware of his scholarly work, I knew that he was instrumental in the republishing of Durrellâs first two novels, Pied Piper of Lovers and Panic Spring . I am immensely grateful for his efforts.
That this selection of essays has progressed from being âgoodâ to exceptional is entirely down to his work and diligence in finalising and editing the selection now available.
Much of what Durrell wrote as occasional pieces about Provence is readily available elsewhere, such as in the Spirit of Place collection. For the most part, the essays reproduced here are reprinted for the first time.
My epigraph from Pope-Hennessyâs excellent and evocative book opens with the words, Provence is âa taste.â So fiery has my passion been for the work of Lawrence Durrell that I benefited from Larryâs munificent encouragement to publish two of his books under my own Delos Press imprint: with Penelope Durrell-Hope, a revised edition of An Irish Faustus (1987) and a short text he wrote specially for Delos, Henri Michaux: The Poet of Supreme Solipsism . I am ever grateful for the opportunity to have published these books and this collection therefore seems to be the best possible tribute to a writer of such style, inspiration, and imagination.
Salut, Larry.
I am gratified that the following shared my commitment to seeing this collection of writing published: Peter Dixon; Janet King for doing the first typescript; Anthony Astbury for the first proof reading; John Glass for adding his editorial skills; Anthea Morton Saner and her successor Camilla Goslett at Curtis Brown for agreeing to the contractual side; Richard Pine of the Durrell School of Corfu for editorial guidance; Penelope and John Hope for offering their wisdom and inspiration; Brewster Chamberlin for checking the chronology I prepared to assist my work on the project; and Tony Rudolf for perfecting my weak translations from the French when only versions in that language are available.
Finally, and most importantly, to Françoise Kestsman Durrell who, as Durrellâs literary executor, so promptly agreed to this publication when first mooted as a Delos Press book.
Peter Baldwin
Moseley, Birmingham, England
November 2014
Acknowledgements
I COULD NOT HAVE COMPLETED THIS COLLECTION without a good deal of help from many people. Peter Baldwin first envisioned this collection for Delos Press, which has produced many fine editions. I have benefited from much correspondence with Peter as well as a detailed conversation in Stratford-Upon-Avon in 2009 with regard to the changes to the project. In the same year, Fairleigh Dickinson University supported two weeks of research in Oxford where I completed the majority of the revisions to the manuscript. The staff of the Bodleian Library were extremely helpful with locating several otherwise
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