Books

First editions, first impressions, of Durrell's enduring masterpiece, a study of love and political intrigue in Alexandria, Egypt, before and during the Second World War. "The four novels emerged in rapid succession from 1957 to 1960 and elicited wildly divergent but generally favourable reviews, praising or attacking Durrell's luxuriant prose, his highly romantic recreation of Alexandria, and his self-proclaimed use of Einstein. Only with the Quartet sales did Durrell begin to live from his writing" (ODNB). 4 works, octavo. Original variously coloured cloth, spines lettered in gilt on a coloured ground. With dust jackets. Housed in custom cream cloth slipcase with gilt spine lettering and blind hand device on covers after Justine jacket design. Ownership stamp on front free endpapers of Peter Silverman (Balthazar) and Sheila A. C. Hutchinson (Mountolive). Couple of bumps to extremities, tiny puncture to spine of Clea, affecting jacket, foxing to edges of Justine, small mark to fore edge of Balthazar, all contents clean. A very good set indeed in very good dust jackets, each price-clipped except Balthazar, light toning to spines, occasional closed tears, Justine with horizontal crease at head of rear panel, Balthazar with chips to spine and fold ends with old tape on verso of spine, upper edges of Mountolive a little nibbled, the set presenting nicely overall. Thomas & Brigmore 27, 29-30, 33. Anthony Burgess, 99 Novels, The Best in English Since 1939, 1984.

Mountolive is the third volume of The Alexandria Quartet series by British author Lawrence Durrell. Set in pre-World War II Alexandria, Egypt, Mountolive is part of a sequence of novels that tell a complex story of passion, politics, and betrayal. The series is celebrated for its rich and intricately woven narrative and exploration of modern love.