The International Society Herald Number 35 May 20, 2016 Pamela J. Francis, Editor Susan S. MacNiven, Founding Editor

be proud to add, those resilient Durrell’s hopes are confirmed. The President’s and remarkable creatures, Dur- Ventris’ theory is that Cretan rellians! civilization, at least in the later Column periods associated with the Linear B tablets, had been part Linda Rashidi, Of the “conundrum” that is of Mycenean Greece. Linear B Crete, the Minotaur is perhaps President, ILDS script is a combination of syl- the biggest puzzle, says Dur- labic signs (phonetic) and ideo- Elected May 2014 rell as he contemplates what grams (semantic symbols, e.g. is Crete, and “equally full of a drawing of a cow or spear); enigma” is the maze. Durrell this then is a script similar to ponders the myth and reality, Chinese, predating the Greek As I think ahead to June and exploring theories from vari- alphabet (c. 1450 BCE). Used actually being on Crete, I have ous perspectives (psychology, for writing Mycenean Greek, it been browsing through Dur- history, lore, religion), and con- is the earliest attested form of rell’s scattered but delicious cludes: “Myself, I think that a Greek. What I found interest- The Greek Islands. He begins man sentenced to death was ing (but Durrell finds regrettable his section on Crete with this: given an outside chance of and boring, lamenting the lack “To the Greeks Crete seems redeeming his life by crossing of poetry with its promise of a the most authentically Greek of the labyrinth and avoiding the window into ancient Cretan life) all the islands [. . .]”. “The big Minotaur if he could.” Surely, is that, like other early scripts island” is pushed up “like a le- this is The Dark Labyrinth in a around the Mediterranean viathan” where it lies, “rugged” nutshell. (Berber and ancient Libyan), and “disquieting,” full of history, the script was used mainly for myth, and lore. Its mountains official, administrative docu- are the stuff of legendary (and As a linguist, I was taken with Durrell’s extensive discussion ments. Since Ventris’ work in actual) heroic struggle, while the 1950s, scholars have been the labyrinths left when the land of Linear B, the ancient script found by the archaeologist working on these tablets, and— belched its way to the surface here’s the exciting part—Linear are mysterious places of both Arthur Evans at Knossos and deciphered by Michael Ventris. B has been added to the Uni- shelter and redemption. Dur- code Standard, meaning that rell’s Crete is a place of wild- There is great debate over both its authenticity and origins, but Linear B is now tech-y official ness, honor, and resolve—no and available in ASCII. Yes, you wimps here. Says Durrell: “The Durrell hopes “that Ventris is correct,” and that this is the first too can get a Linear B font for Cretans have seen everything— your computer! the collapse of the Minoan known script of a very ancient Empire, the rise of Venice, the Greek. Durrell uses the En- slave markets of Turkey, Nazi cyclopaedia Britannica for his I am continually amazed at Dur- parachutists and American hip- “scholarship” on this, so I went rell’s erudition and his ability pies—nothing has been spared to our modern version, Wikipe- to be ahead of the curve on so them.” And now, Durrell might dia. many fronts—even linguistics, ILDS Herald p. 2 cont’d-from previous page other languages is important to appear in Deus Loci 14; check about which, I am sure, he had the goals of the Society. To fa- them out, as they are evocative little explicit knowledge. The cilitate this, the ILDS maintains of the spirit of islands. David OMG XIX Program Committee a critical bibliography through Radavich, Poetry Editor, will be has planned an after-confer- the online database Zotero. You announcing the next contest ence excursion to Knossos, can access this by going to our soon. where, hopefully, we can view website www.lawrencedurrell. 6) The Board encourages this earliest of writing scripts. If org and clicking on Bibliogra- current members to consider you haven’t already done so, phies and then Critical. sponsoring new members. This you can still register for OMG 2) A nominating committee option will be seen on your re- XIX and join us on Crete, June for Executive Board members newal forms, but you can do it 26-30. And, no, you needn’t for 2016-18 has been set up. at any time through the website. present a paper to attend the David Radavich chairs this com- The Board is also setting up conference and participate in mittee and is joined by James a “William Godshalk Student the excursions planned by Anna Gifford, Don Kaczvinsky, and Scholarship,” as a tribute to the Lillios and her crew. Besides Grove Koger. By the time this late Bill Godshalk. This is anoth- Durrell on Crete, a contingent newsletter reaches you, they er way you can contribute to the from the Patrick Leigh Fermor should have a slate, which will ILDS and help to disseminate all Society will be joining us, and be presented at the General things Durrellian. More on this presentations and excursions Meeting at OMG XIX for a vote. later. to WWII sites are in the offer- 3) We are already think- ing. Durrell makes much of the ing ahead to OMG XX in 2018. While I am trading in my presi- stalwart people of Crete (as The normal and informal rota- does Fermor in his writing), so it dent’s hat for that of past presi- tion would put this On Miracle dent, the hard-working core of is especially exciting that Anna Ground back in North America, has planned a visit to her an- the Society remains in place. but the Board is soliciting ideas These people work in large cestral village. You don’t want to for locations as widely as pos- miss this On Miracle Ground. part behind the scenes, but it is sible. So bring ideas to Crete their input that keeps both the or pass them on to any Board Society and the legacy of Dur- As this is my last column as member. We will have discus- rell alive and vibrant. I have dis- President of the International sion of possible sites at the covered in my two years at the Lawrence Durrell Society, I General Meeting. helm that the ILDS, like Durrell want to express my deep ap- 4) Anna Lillios is already at himself, is creative, innovative, preciation to the loyal and work on Deus Loci 15. Those of at times combative, but always hard-working members of the you outside North America will of good cheer. Executive Board. This is not a be pleased to know that with perfunctory or honorary Board; this issue, we are moving to without them, there would be no Print on Demand, meaning your I hope to see many of you at Society. They work tirelessly to copies should arrive more expe- the end of June on the sunny keep Durrell’s work and legacy ditiously than in the past. island of Crete. Until then, keep exploring and promoting the alive. Our meeting in February 5) I am personally happy in Louisville went on for over works and ideas of Lawrence that we will be continuing the Durrell. four (very productive!) hours. White Mice Contest. There will Here are a few of the highlights be a session at OMG XIX de- of what we discussed: voted to the poetry of the final- 1) Making work on Durrell ists from the 2013 and 2015 available both in English and in contests. These poems also ILDS Herald p. 3

On Miracle Ground XIX Threading the Labyrinth: World War II in the Greek World A Conference of the International Lawrence Durrell Society

Rethymnon, Crete, 26-30 June 2016

Here are just a few things the Conference Commitee has planned for you:

Monday morning: Three Keynote Addresses: Michael Haag, “Setting the Scene” Ian S. MacNiven,“Climax in Crete: A Personal Narrative” Chris White, “The Kreipe Kidnap” Tuesday: Tour of World War II Sites: “In the Footsteps of Leigh Fermor: The General Kreipe Abduction Route, Allied Secret Services, The Resistance.” Conducted by Costas Mamalakis (Historical Museum of Crete); assisted by Chris White. Wednesday evening: On Miracle Ground XIX Conference Banquet at the Melina Res- taurant at the Old Fort in Rethymnon http://www.melina-rethymno.gr/en/ Thursday: Visit to the WWII Memorial in Alikianos, tour of the Manousakis Winery, and visit to the Archeological Museum and harbor of Chania.

And of course, the conference will feature several panels of papers on Durrell, Greece, Fermor, and others, and plenty of discussion. The winning White Mice Poetry Contest poems will be read, and I understand there will be dramatic performancees as well! Please join us in Crete on June 26! ILDS Herald p. 4 case of sophomore boys, Mom has did on Rhodes in 2004. That was a Letter from your a hand in the choices. This year, I banquet to remember! I know this had a young man who was, well, a one will be too--I mean, c’mon--it’s editor... whole lot of trouble. But we made Crete! it through the year, and he may have even matured a wee bit. His See you there!!! The end of the academic mother and I corresponded fre- year is busy and bittersweet...the quently, so I wasn’t too surprised rounds of performances and pre- to get a little gift from her. Scented sentations are dizzying, and some soap, a candle, all sorts of aids for evenings, when I finally arrive relaxing--spot-on for just about A Little home after a full day of teaching, any teacher this time of year. and then another nearly full day of Durrelliana: programs and celebrations, I can’t But most of all, I loved the even remember having left the bag this gift came in. Check it out- It may be old news, but I found house that morning. But even after -now we know what the Durrells this while digging around the three weeks of end-of-year hoopla, are up to these days!!! internet, and I wanted to share. it’s all worth it. Given that I have spent most of my academic career investigating Worth it seeing these stu- authors who did not win the No- dents graduate onto new adven- bel Prize for Literature, I find the tures? Yeah, sure--but I’m talking workings of the Committee mys- about the goodies that the kids terious indeed: deliver on rounds of office visits during Dead Days. The Seniors From a Guardian article usually accompany theirs with a http://www.theguardian.com/ dose of sentimentality, but after books/2012/jan/05/jrr-tolkien- all, it’s Dead Day and we can spare nobel-prize: a few minutes to indulge the young The mysterious workings of the man or woman standing in our of- Nobel committee remain a secret fices with some reminisces of past until 50 years after the award is classes (remember when that kid made, when the archive for that fell asleep during the final? How Diamond Durrell? year is opened in the Nobel library do you DO that?”) or speculations Sounds like what Larry might in Stockholm. Swedish reporter on futures at some of the best go by if he had engaged upon Andreas Ekström delved into colleges and universities in the a gambling career rather than 1961’s previously classified docu- world (one of my students will at- that of a writer! ments on their release this week, tend the American University of to find the jury passed over names Bulgaria--our own ILDS President including Lawrence Durrell, Rob- Linda Rashidi was able to send her ert Frost, Graham Greene, EM a word or two of advice). But now that the regular semester is over, I have turned all Forster and Tolkien to come up The gifts range from cook- my attention to OMG XIX! In just with their eventual winner, Yugo- ies they’ve baked in the dorm, in a few weeks many of us will meet slavian writer Ivo Andric. between studying for Chem Lab in Rhythmnon for several days of and World Lit, to nice pens from discussion and Durrelliana. Check their future universities. Most of out p. 3 for some of the highlights the gifts are from the students of the conference. I’m looking themselves, but often, esp. in the forward to some dancing like we ILDS Herald p. 5 New and given editorial life to Durrell’s two ear- many evenings with this book, and it’s liest novels, the manuscript was handed already marked by stickies and under- noteworthy over for its published form. lines and notes in the margins. I look forward to many more hours with it, But a collection of Durrell’s occasional both as an invaluable resource for Dur- pieces wouldn’t seem to be anything rell studies, as well as a source of read- Spirit that exciting; after all, the lovely ing pleasure. of Place provides plenty of delightful armchair travel. Here, though, the ma- jority of work has been reproduced for the first time. Vasssanji, M.G. “Looking at Them: the View across The first thing that strikes the reader is Larry’s prolificness. Ranging from two the Street.” Transition 119 page letters to Durrell’s 1948 exten- (2016): 22-36. sive “Studies in Genius VI,” his defense M.G. Vassanji is a long-time friend of Groddeck, the collection especially of Durrell and Durrellians. The first highlights the breadth, and often (but OMG I attended was in Ottawa not always) depth of Durrell’s reading in 2002, and Mr. Vassanji was our and thinking. After a helpful introduc- featured speaker. His keynote lec- Durrell, Lawrence. From the tion by Gifford, the essays are arranged Elephant’s Back: Collected Es- ture was “How Do You Write the into four sections: Personal Positions, City?” and addressed the question says and Travel Writings. Ed. Ideas about Literature, Eternal Con- of many writers, especially those and intro. James Gifford. temporaries, and perhaps more famil- who find themselves carried along Calgary: U of Alberta P, 2015. iarly to some, Spirit of Place: Travel in the waves a great, stormy city Writing. like Alexandria, Egypt, or, in Vas- Gifford’s introduction provides invalu- sanji’s case, Dar es Salaam. Everything about this book is provoca- able context to these works, including These great cities—and the writ- tive, in that it provokes the reader to Durrell’s position as a Late Modernist ers who write about them—are investigate more carefully the aspect and his relationship with British impe- still very much on Vassanji’s mind, in question. We may start at its begin- rialism. The opening essay, “From the and his most recent musing on nings, that is the history behind the Elephant’s Back,” (1982) is worth the the topics is the subject of “Look- book, to its current form, to its dreamy price of the entire volume, and, I be- ing at Them: the View across the cover artwork, in which, much like lieve, will become a sort of road map Street.” He opens the narrative, Durrell’s own palimpsestic view of his- to future Durrell studies. Translation “By some unconscious feat of the tory, images are imposed upon other studies is one angle (LD delivered the imagination, I came to think of images, complicating any clear reading speech in French, then sent a transla- Lawrence Durrell’s life and mine of the text---or cover art. tion in English to Tambimuttu), the as intersecting” (22) and then de- ideas leading to the Avignon Quintet scribes a multi-strand connection A foreword by Peter Baldwin (author another; Larry even mentions his in- of regular Herald column, “The View that included an interest (though volvement with surrealism, an area of in Vassanji’s case, a “wary” one) in from Pudding Isle”) explains how this recent study by the collection’s editor. important new resource came to be: he physics, as well as themes of “va- and his friend Peter Dixon dug through The most satisfying aspect of this col- grancy and homelessness,” (23), Baldwin’s immense collection of Dur- lection, though, is its readability, and but most importantly, “the idea of rell articles and publications, gave them its ability to shed light on more facets being possessed by a place” (24). some sort of order, and solicited edito- of Durrell’s eclectic interests, as well cont’d on p. 12 rial comments from Richard Pine and as his application of the varied facets of others. Knowing James Gifford had this world to his fiction. I have spent ILDS Herald p. 6

Apostolos J. Polyzoides devotes elephant in the way of a lousy The three pages to Durrell in Alexan- magazine, owned by the American dria, City of Gifts and Sorrows: From Country Club,” and invited Durrell Hellenistic Civilization to Multieth- to participate in its production. The Chart nic Metropolis, published in 2014 by Sussex Academic Press. Room

by Grove Koger James Buzard’s “Postcolonial Vale- diction: Durrell’s of Cyprus and the Legacies of the Grand Tour” appears in The Legacy Two previously unknown letters by of the Grand Tour: New Essays on Lawrence Durrell appear in Anglo- Travel, Literature, and Culture, Hellenic Cultural Relations, edited another new volume from Fair- by Panos Karagiorgos and pub- leigh Dickinson. Durrell is also lished by Cambridge Scholars last mentioned in a new book by Mark year. Durrell wrote the letters in Simmons, The British and Cyprus: 1955 and 1964 to his friend Marie An Outpost of Empire to Sovereign Aspioti, who published Lear’s Corfu Bases, 1878–1974, from the History (under the imprint of Corfu Travel) Press. in 1965. In his preface to that book, Durrell referred to her as “the first Greek friend I made.” You may also know Aspioti as the author of The Enchanted Island of Corfu, which magazine was, of course, The Boost- many of us have picked up on one er, which Durrell would contribute of our visits to the island. to, sometimes under his own name and sometimes as “Sports Editor” Charles Norden. The Booster and James Clawson’s Durrell Re-read: its successor, Delta, are among the Crossing the Liminal in Lawrence publications discussed by Celia Durrell’s Major Novels is scheduled Aijmer Rydsjö and AnnKatrin for publication this summer. Ac- Jonsson in Exiles in Print: Little cording to the book’s publisher, Magazines in Europe, 1921–1938, Fairleigh Dickinson University published by Peter Lang. Press, Clawson argues that Durrell’s twelve major novels—from The Henry Miller: New Perspectives Black Book through Quinx—deserve (Bloomsbury, 2015) collects more A new edition of Gerald Durrell’s to be read and studied as the “single than a dozen essays on Durrell’s popular My Family and Other Ani- major project” that he formulated lifelong friend. The book is edited mals has been announced for the early in his career. by James M. Decker and Indrek Macmillan Collector’s Library this Männiste. year. It will include an afterword by Gerald’s friend, Peter Olney, a for- mer Keeper of Birds at the London In a 1937 letter to Durrell, Miller Zoo. wrote that his friend Alfred Perlès (cont’d, p. 10) was “being given a sort of white ILDS Herald p. 7

Louisville Conference on Literature and Culture since 1900

The International Lawrence ary Durrellian, John Mur- Land’” prompted much dis- Durrell Society has been a phy speak on “Ford Madox cussion, especially as James presence at Louisville’s Con- Ford, English Pantomime, Gifford’s paper on H.D.’s ference on Literature and and the Modernist Miracle notebooks provided several in- Culture since 1900 for over a Year.” I always enjoy John’s tersections of interest. work on Ford, and he pro- vides dramatic readings of passages that are well worth the ride to campus on the overheated bus that invariably runs late or leaves early. The Durrellians wel- comed a new presenter, Jen- dozen years now. The confer- nifer Van Houdt, a gradu- ence for us Durrellians means ate student at University of at least one, often two panels Washington. Her paper on of papers, an always lively “Rethinking Mythology Taut- Board meeting, and, most The next panel, Modern egorically in ‘The Waste importantly, good food, good Myths and Legends: Durrell wine, and good conversation. and the Greek World, fea- This year was no exception to tured a very lively presentation any of those experiences. by the Society’s own Charles Sligh, during which he gave us ILDS Vice-President a great deal of insight into the James Clawson organized two relationship between Patrick panels this year, and in an ef- Leigh Fermor and Durrell. fort to direct our thoughts As happens every time I read toward Crete, both panels or hear about Fermor, I was focused on mythology. The struck by his gentleness and first panel was titled Modern Left, top, Pamela and Charles on the bus; above, James and Linda genuine humanism. Myth and Legend: Modern- at the first panel; above right, (cont’d p. 9) ism’s Mythologies. As always, Paul, Anne, Linda, (and a slice we were happy to hear honor of Dianne!) catch up. ILDS Herald p. 8 was the best yet!” The revised edition 1973) Society Executive Board but then looks ahead Thirty searched for a way to into the future of Dur- provide something both rell scholarship. different and rewarding Years for the fourth confer- However, we ence, staged for 11-12 can now look forward to April 1986. Michael H. the issuing by the same Ago in Begnal of Pennsylva- publisher of a paper- nia State University back concentrating on found the solution: get Durrell’s prose works. the a grant, invite Durrell The author is Keith to speak. With the help Brown, who I believe is of Stanley Weintraub of a professor of English Herald currently on second- by Anne Zahlan the PS Institute for the Arts and Humanis- ment to the University tic Studies, Begnal of Oslo, Norway. Judg- The sixth issue of did just that. Durrell ing by Brown’s review The Lawrence Durrell Quinx Times said Yes, despite the of in the Society Herald, edited Literary Supplement fact that he now hates of by Gregory Dickson, Su- to travel, and has not 31 March 1985, he prom- san MacNiven, and Law- visited the Americas ises to be an eminent rence Markert, and since 1974. Was Dur- successor to Fraser. dated 15 March 1986, rell indulging his sly Referring to Durrell’s features excerpted com- humor when he promised “international celebri- ments on Antrobus Com- us, “I’ll tell all”? ty” and “the persistent plete (1985) and on the We will find out on 11 skepticism of the Lon- recently released Quinx April. The next evening don literary world” to and its retroactive he will conduct a pub- his work, Brown reminds shaping of the now com- lic dialogue with John us of the epigraph to plete Avignon Quintet. Quinx Hawkes on the uses of : “. . . must it- Notably, this Her- language in fiction. The self create the taste ald fervently antici- program will close with by which it is to be pates On Miracle Ground the now-traditional judged.” IV due to begin soon Lawrence Durrell Con- at Pennsylvania State After comment- ference Banquet, this University. In a nar- ing on the contents of time featuring Himself, rative account of the Quinx and the difficul- modest and inscrutable establishment of the ty in reviewing it in as a Buddha, as guest Lawrence Durrell Soci- isolation, Brown draws of honor. ety and the tradition his argument togeth- of biannual conferenc- In this issue’s er by referring to the Herald es, editors look “Views from Pudding Is- fact that “we. . . have forward to the meeting land,” Peter Baldwin steadily required of to come. bemoans “the deletion new English novels. . . from the Faber cata- that tightly ‘organic’ The veterans of logue” of G.S. Fraser’s or crystalline quality all three Durrell con- Lawrence Durrell: A that the New Criticism ferences said, “OMG III Critical Study (1968, loved.” ILDS Herald p. 9

Durrell’s refus- being voiced by Dur- had always hosted our pre- al to fall in with any rell. At the climax of dinner cocktail hour there. It his review, Brown sug- known literary school was hard not to be a little sad, is described by Keith gests that “the quin- Brown as Durrell’s cunx is Durrell’s at- as we all missed Bill, but we to open our “blow[ing]up the Exami- tempt. . . toasted him and reminisced minds to the possibili- nation Halls”! “Is it, a bit about his amazing mind ty of a fiction based on then, possible to write a radically different and sense of humor. a ‘Tibetan’ novel—that metaphysic is to say, a new, more ” [my empha- Charles Sligh has taken fluid, open-ended kind sis]. on the task of the organizing of fiction, still rec- the panels for 2017, and I’m ognizable to novel- sure we’ll hear about them readers though large- ly shedding the usu- soon. This conference is well- al assumptions of the Louisville worth your time and travel, genre?” Now let Durrell and we’d love to have you join speak for himself: in a (cont’d from p. #) us for our panels--and our 29 May 1985 radio in- dinners! Hope to see you in Pamela Francis, in a terview (with John Dunn Louisville in February! on British Radio 2), he preview of the work she will referred to the con- present at OMG, spoke on trasting philosophies one of the great literary voices of the East and West. Durrell said that “the of Crete, Nikos Kazantzakis, two philosophies are and his antagonistic dual- coming together in a ism. Finally, Dianne Vipond head-on collision; the brought us squarely back to basic thing which dif- Durrell in her paper, “A Ret- ferentiates them is de- rospective Reading of Law- terminism and materi- alism in the West and rence Durrell’s The Dark Laby- precisely this penta- rinth.” gram formation about human personality in We do work hard, but the East. They say that we play hard too! After our psychology instead of panels, we all joined Charles being divided into male Sligh and James Gifford in and female, conscious the “Bill Godschalk Memo- and unconscious, is di- rial Suite.” Okay, that’s not the vided into five groups— baskets—skandhas—so it official name of the room, but is a sort of pentagram Charles and Bill always stayed I envisaged instead of in the same room there at the a Freudian square.” Brown (an aside: the lobster http://www.thelouisville- mac and cheese is unquestion- I think we can see conference.com/index.php here the very different ably the best late night snack approach to the novel ever), and Bill and Charles ILDS Herald p. 10

The Chart etry by Sherrard and three The founder and first direc- essays by Seferis himself. The tor of the Durrell School Room (cont’d from p. 6) book is published by Denise of Corfu, Richard Pine, has For the would-be time travel- Harvey, who works from the written a wide-ranging book ers among us, the American island of Euboea and who is- about his adopted home. University in Cairo Press has sued an expanded edition of Based on his “Letters from just the ticket in a new book Edward Lear’s Cretan Journal Greece” that have appeared in by Andrew Humphreys—On in 2012. See http://denise- The Irish Timesover the past the Nile in the Golden Age of harveypublisher.gr/ for details few years, Greece through Irish Travel. The volume draws on these and a number of Eyes (Liffey Press) directs its upon contemporary travel ac- other works related to modern readers to what Pine regards counts, photographs, and trav- Greek culture. as the “essential ‘Greek- el posters. The press also pub- ness’” of the country through lishes Grand Hotels of Egypt in considerations of its history, the Golden Age of Travel by the people, politics, arts, and so same author. on. An “Update” dated July 20, 2015, and preceding the text offers a stinging indictment of Every Traveller Needs a Com- “Europe’s failure to honour its pass: Travel and Collecting in commitment not to the Greek Egypt and the Near East (Ox- economy but to the Greek bow Books) brings together people.” 17 papers, including an essay by Sonia P. Anderson on Sir John Young, High Commis- Brewster Chamberlin’s Travels sioner for the Ionian Islands in Greece and France, and the (1855–1859), and a consid- Durrell School of Corfu Semi- eration of Edward Lear on nars includes genial and infor- Gozo (second largest island mal travel letters from 2005 of the Maltese archipelago) through 2011 as well as the by Joseph Attard Tabone. The Reframing Decadence: C.P. texts of four lectures. Cham- collection is edited by Neil Cavafy’s Imaginary Portraits berlin’s subjects include the Cooke and Vanessa Daubney. by Peter Jeffreys appeared pleasures of food and drink, last year. According to the the lure of old Signet paper- publisher, Cornell University back books (which he col- This Dialectic of Blood and Press, the book makes clear lects), and the Durrell School, Light features the correspon- Cavafy’s “creative indebted- on whose board he served. The dence between George Seferis ness to British and French volume is published by Key and one of his translators, avant-garde aesthetes whose West’s New Atlantian Library. collective impact on his poetry Philip Sherrard, as well as (cont’d next page) three studies of Seferis’s po- proved to be profound.” ILDS Herald p. 11

The Chart Room library of tall glass-fronted discusses those Borromean (cont’d from previous page) bookcases full of yellowing Isles!) While most of the writ- Tauchnitz editions of Conrad ers Tauchnitz handled were To the long list of books and Dickens and Kipling,” what we would call “standard,” about the activities of the Special Operations Executive, we should add Sons of Odys- seus: SOE Heroes in Greece by John Ogden. The book was published by Bene Factum in 2012.

Another book this column has overlooked is British Literature and the Balkans: Themes and Contexts, published by Rodopi A rather fanciful painting of Mary Edith Durham, English in 2010. In his Introduction, traveler and aidworker in the Balkans in the early twentieth century. Her works of ethnology, including , author Andrew Hammond High Albania are considered standard reading for Albanologists. writes that he uses “the writ- ten pronouncements of travel writing, as well as fiction, jour- wrote Durrell in “Borromean Albatross published a much nalism and political rhetoric, Isles,” one of the pieces col- livelier range of material, in- to explore the history of Brit- lected in last year’s From the cluding key works by Huxley, ish balkanism [sic].” Besides Elephant’s Back. In fact, Dur- Joyce, and Lawrence. Alba- Durrell, Hammond considers rell also referred to Tauchnitz tross Editions were also out- such writers as Eric Ambler, volumes in Nunquam and in standing examples of book Anthony Hope, Lady Edith his “interview” with Peter design, rivaling if not surpass- Durham, Edward Lear, Pat- Adam, “Creating a Delicious ing the early Penguins. For us rick Leigh Fermor, and Bram Amnesia.” Generally speak- today, the two series present Stoker. ing, the books were by British an intriguing sidelight on the and American writers, but, for lives of Anglophone readers reasons of copyright, were not traveling and residing abroad available in the British Empire in decades long gone. For As you make your way or, if the authors were Ameri- more information, see the site through used bookshops in can, in the United States. In- Tauchnitz Editions at http:// Europe this year, you may stead, as my Tauchnitz copy www.tauchnitzeditions.com/. want to be on the lookout for of Richard Bagot’s Lakes of Tauchnitz paperbacks (pub- Northern Italy notes, they were lished c. 1841–c. 1950) and “sold by all Booksellers and at their more elegant succes- all Railway Bookstalls on the sors from Albatross (1932–c. Continent.” (And yes, Bagot 1950). “Each hotel had its vast ILDS Herald p. 12 Vassanji, cont’d from p. 5 Vassanji was possessed by Dar es Salaam, and he describes its di- versity of character and neighbor- hoods. However, Vassanji does not share all of Durrell’s perspectives, noting that Durrell’s view of the non-European population of Alex- andria “reflect[ed] the prejudices of his circle” (26). Those prejudices have become more problematic to Vassanji as he has matured, but this has not mitigated his enthusi- asm for the creative re-imagining of a city, and in this sense, he does follow Durrell in that he knows that to write a city one had to “sit down and try to recreate it…you infuse meaning into the past” (32).

The “past,” of course, incorpo- rates one’s own personal history, and Vassanji closes his narrative by recounting a recent moment in his life given its own color by a memory of reading Durrell:

...who could have imagined that the boy who thrilled at the sight of the -like figure in helmet with frills in- specting the guard of honour would one day accompany the Queen’s Canadian representa- tive as a cultural delegate to his ancestral homeland? That hap- pened a few years ago, when I was asked to go with the gov- On Miracle Ground XII, Ottawa ernor general of Canada on a state visit to India… Upper right, M.G. Vassanji with Herald editor Pamela Francis, and Durrell continues to contribute to above, with his book, Amriika contemporary literature, in ways he could never have imagined. Many thanks go to Mr. Vassanji for perpetuating his influence, in ways that Larry could never have imagined. ILDS Herald p. 13 In other news: laoui’s “Curate’s Egg: An Alexan- drian Opinion of Durrell’s Quartet” While we are always happy to see new Durrell scholarship, we are DEUS LOCI also happy to see Durrell scholars publishing in their “other” fields. The Lawrence Durrell Diane Vipond has written exten- Journal sively on both Lawrence Durrell and John Fowles, and in post- paper conversations at Louisville, often connect the two. We’d like to congratulate her for the recent The next issue of Deus Loci is the publication of “Rhizome and special centenary issue, in honor for all of its numerous misconcep- Romance: The Ebony Tower on of Lawrence Durrell’s birth in 1912. tions of Alexandria, which have Video” in Filming John Fowles: The issue begins with reminiscences persisted in criticism through the Critical Essays on Motion Picture by Ian MacNiven (“Found on the years. Finally, Corinne Alexandre- and Television Adaptations, Mc- Cutting Room Floor: Left Out of Garner appropriately, for a retro- Farland Press, 2015. the Biography”) and Peter Bald- spective issue, examines Durrell’s win’s memories of working with sense of closure in his works. Also, a new article by Fiona Durrell as his publisher at Delos Thomkinson, “Murdoch and Ca- Press. In a Note, Jonathan Stubbs, a pro- netti: A Woman’s Writing and fessor at the University of Cyprus, the Economy of Intertextual Among the articles, Richard Pine reports on a revealing memo that Appropriation, appears in the In- is the first critic to discuss Durrell’s Durrell wrote in Cyprus, reveal- ternational Journalof Languages, multiple manuscripts of Judith, ing his feelings about his mission Literature and Linguistics, Vol. 2, eventually published as a book by there. The memo was buried for No. 1, March 2016. the Durrell School of Corfu. 60 years in official papers at the British Museum. Congratulations are in order for David Roessel takes a look at the James Clawson, ILDS Vice-Pres- Durrells’ connection with Has- Donald Kaczvinsky, the Book Re- ident, for his recent promotion to san Fathy and the creation of the view editor, has gathered together Associate Professor at Grambling model city of Gourna, material six interesting book reviews for State University in Louisiana. that would appear in The Revolt the issue, ranging from his review . of Judith to a review of Michiko This has been a busy year for of Aphrodite Kawano’s translation of James; as Grove Koger mentioned Sappho Isabelle Privat-Keller also breaks recently published in Osaka, Ja- in The Chart Room, Clawson’s ground as one of the first critics to pan. Durrell Re-read: Crossing the Lim- write about Durrell’s Red Limbo inal in Lawrence Durrell’s Major Lingo, which, Privat-Keller claims, David Radavich has conducted Novels will be out this summer. bridges the gap between the another successful White Mouse Watch for it! Quartet and the Quintet. contest. The theme was “Islands”— and Michael Colonnese and Kateri Paul Lorenz tries to get at the es- Kosek were co-winners. sence of Durrell’s London and his Englishness in his article. Durrell scholars are grateful for the work that Grove Koger does on Michael Haag takes a look at an- the Durrell bibliography. This year other Durrellian city, Alexandria, he covers the years 1999—2002. by attacking Mahmoud Manza- ILDS Herald p. 14 The history of a landscape. American Civil War Crete, and a good four years be- monument: battlefields display huge battalian fore the war was over. markers from both the North and The original monument Germaniko Pouli (The the South, collectively impressing featured a diving eagle hold- German Bird) ing a swastika, and a plinth with Monuments are an integral a plaque. A grainy photograph part of the Cretan landscape, and shows the monument attended by range from the elaborate small soldiers and covered with wreaths scale replicas of Greek churches, and Nazi flags, ostensibly during built at the site of “miracles”--a the Axis occupation. The photo- roadway accident in which no one graphic history of the monument, died, or the site of an avalanche however, seems to have been that somehow spared a family suspended for several decades, in its path--to the statelier and but picks up again in the 1980’s more public memorials which and 1990’s, when a neighborhood appear throughout Crete, mark- (also called Germankio Pouli) ing the sites of the valiant fight of grew up in the vicinity. Pictures Cretans--sometimes against Otto- from these decades show that the Here is the monument in the swastika the eagle held in its tal- man Turks, and sometimes against 1980s. The black Iron Cross Nazi Germans. The participants has been added, as well as ons has been concreted over, and of OMG will visit a number of additional inscription the black Iron Cross and inscrip- these monuments, and will see tion had been added. first hand these reminders of the

Cretan love of freedom. upon the visitor the outrageous brutality of this continuously con- tentious war. It is rarer, however, to find “enemy” memorials in sensitive areas--and even a brief introduction to modern Cretan history will illustrate the sensitiv- ity of Cretans to infringement on their freedoms and their lands. So it’s somewhat of a sur- Germaniko Pouli, short- prise to learn of the Fallschirm- ly after construction, jäger Memorial, referred to by 1941 or 1942 the Greeks as Germaniko Pouli, the German Bird. It is even more Fallschirmjäger It is not, of course, un- of a surprise to learn that this Memorial, today usual to have memorials from the monument was erected in 1941, “other” side dotting a contested just after the ten day Battle of ILDS Herald p. 15 (cont’d from previous page) Do the Cretans read this monument as yet another reminder of the brutal Nazi ocupation? Or is it a The surrounding neighborhood seems to have ab- message to all people, everywhere, that even the sorbed the monutment, and it garnered little at- enemy are people who are mourned by their loved tention by locals or tourists, and in fact, some who ones? Or is this monument, in its crumbling and lived only yards away from it had never noticed it. nearly forgotten state, a manifestation of the univer- In 2001, though, a serious storm destroyed what sal predisposition to kill and kill--and then forget? was left of the eagle, and now only the plinth--and a marker marking the monument--remain.

The marker reads: This memorial was erected 1941 by German parachutists for their dead comrades

The past two decades have been unkind to the mon- ument, though some of the blog posts and travel- ogues I read about this monument noted that it was well-kept and unvandalized at least until the 1980’s, and it appears that the graffitti seen on the monu- ment and marker now are a relatively recent thing. The monument’s future is uncertain, as the proper- ty it sits on is contested, and its damaged condition would incur high costs if restored. There is also the question of --for whom does this monument exist?