The International Lawrence Durrell Society Herald Number 29 May 1, 2013 Anne R. Zahlan and David Radavich, Acting Editors Susan S. MacNiven, Founding Editor The President’s Column conference offered to new Correspondence.” These efforts colleagues and the continued and others mark the continuing James Gifford, activity since are the best tributes importance of Durrell’s works th President, ILDS one could offer to the sprit of beyond his 100 year. Durrell 2012 , and I thank the Each year also brings colleagues and dear friends whose sadness, and in 2013 we said our The past year has brought energies made the celebration ave atque vale to friends, mentors, remarkable events to the happen. and colleagues. Ray Morrison, a International Lawrence Durrell The centenary year brought longstanding member of the ILDS Society and, more generally , to abundance to the International whose A Smile in His Mind’s Eye: A research on Durrell’s works. I am Lawrence Durrell Society. Open Study in the Early Works of privileged to have served as the Road Media has published the Lawrence Durrell appeared in 2005 Society’s president while we ebook editions of Durrell’s works through the University of Toronto celebrated the centenary with in America, as has Faber & Faber in Press, passed away. Those who Durrell 2012 , the seventeenth On the UK. Faber also released new attended Durrell 2012 met the Miracle Ground conference, at editions of The Alexandria Quartet Cypriot poet and travel writer Niki Goodenough College, London, and and The Black Book with fresh Marangou, who became a fast the British Library. The introductions by Jan Morris and friend to the Society before passing remarkable organizational skills of D.B.C. Pierre. Additionally, in a traffic accident this past Charles Sligh brought this event to Jennifer Condon’s recording of the spring. “You gone, the mirrors all a crescendo with media and public opera Sappho by Peggy Glanville- reverted,” but we all remember. attention continuing throughout Hicks (libretto by Durrell) was But 2014 approaches. To and beyond the centenary year. released on CD. An exceptional celebrate the achievements of our That the projects set in motion by new book, discussed in the Durrell past and to support future work, Durrell 2012 continue to play out 2012 sessions at the British we will all draw together again in testifies to Charles’s exceptional Library, was Joanna Hodgkin’s May 2014 for our eighteenth gift for bringing people together in biography of Nancy and Lawrence conference, On Miracle Ground good will. I must also acknowledge Durrell, Amateurs in Eden . Hodgkin XVIII , in Vancouver, British the generous support of Ilyas (who also writes as Joanna Hines) Columbia. Please join us all in Khan, without whom we would not is Nancy’s daughter and sister to Vancouver to remember, to plan, have enjoyed this exceptional Penelope Durrell Hope, and her and most importantly, to celebrate celebration. work has drawn much attention. the present. The capacious spirit of the The British Library has released a event was infectious, and the CD of Durrell’s readings, environment of mutual support interviews, and musical has demonstrably continued with performances in their Spoken the ongoing renewal of Deus Loci , Word series (including, in this case, several collaborative scholarly “sung” words as well). Radio projects, and now planning for our Australia has also released a eighteenth conference. The special program on Durrell and inviting welcome our London Henry Miller, “A Wartime ILDS Herald 2 Vice President’s Report any number of landmarks from Gentleman—the water-colourist the writer’s biography lie close to whose work for many years Goodenough College. Nearby sites Durrell 2012: distinguished Faber’s printings of include: the former location of Lawrence Durrell’s books. All of The Lawrence Durrell Caduceus Press, publisher of the artworks and personal items Centenary Durrell’s first volumes of featured in the Opening Exhibition poetry— Ten Poems , Bromo appeared on loan from various Charles Sligh, Bombastes , and Transition ; the private collections from around Vice President, ILDS Faber & Faber offices at 24 Russell the world. Durrell 2012: The Square, where T. S. Eliot first read Lawrence Durrell Centenary The year 2012 marked the manuscript for The Black extends great appreciation to the what would have been the one- Book ; the Slade School of Art, staff of Foyles Books and to these hundredth birthday of Lawrence where Nancy Myers Durrell collectors for their generosity. Durrell. During the week of 13-16 studied; and a number of other June, members of the Durrellian addresses located up International Lawrence Durrell and down Guilford Street, the road Society gathered, together with a immediately adjacent to host of scholars and readers from Goodenough College. These are around the globe, to mark the the very London streets and occasion. With events held at the neighborhoods that contributed British Library and at their sights and sounds to the Goodenough College, London, writer’s earliest novels, Pied Piper On Friday, 15 June, the Durrell 2012: The Lawrence of Lovers (1935), Panic Spring British Library opened up its Durrell Centenary was in every (1937), and The Black Book manuscript collections and sense a fitting way to reflect upon (1938). With all of these rich Conference Centre for a special and celebrate the life and work of biographical and literary day highlighting its archive of Lawrence Durrell. associations in mind, Centenary Lawrence Durrell materials. In a The main events of Durrell attendees were afforded the series of small-group viewing 2012 were held at Goodenough opportunity to immerse sessions, Rachel Foss, Curator of College, London. Located in the themselves in a part of London Modern Manuscripts, offered leafy green-space of Mecklen- that—according to historian and Durrell Centenary attendees burgh Square in Bloomsbury, and biographer, Michael Haag— direct access to a roomful of within easy walking distance of Lawrence Durrell “never left treasures—including typescripts the British Library and London’s behind.” for Pied Piper of Lovers and Panic major academic campuses, Several exhibitions and Spring ; the notebooks and type- Goodenough College was a archival talks were held in honor scripts used for Justine and serendipitous choice of venue for of the Centenary, and these events Balthazar ; and letters selected the Centenary. Lawrence Durrell’s presented a glimpse of an from Lawrence Durrell’s unrivaled assembly of items correspondence with Gerald relating to Lawrence Durrell’s life Durrell, Alan G. Thomas, and and art. On the evening of others. Taken together with panel Wednesday, 13 June, the Opening presentations on the Durrell Exhibition at Foyles Books archives at Faber & Faber, the featured a gallery filled with Morris Library (Southern Illinois previously unseen photographs, University, Carbondale) and the letters, and works in manuscript, Université Paris Ouest Nanterre, formative years in London (1923- along with a number of paintings the Centenary exhibitions at 1935) were centered on by Oscar Epfs (Lawrence Durrell), Foyles Books and the British Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia, and Nancy Durrell, and David Library presented attendees ILDS Herald 3 with the most Durrelliana ever session’s panel of eminent collected in any place or at any biographers and An Open Letter from Mme time. (For their work in planning historians—including Ian Françoise Kestsman- and facilitating the British Library MacNiven ( Lawrence Durrell : A Durrell: events, the organizing committee Life ), Michael Haag ( Alexandria : for Durrell 2012: The Lawrence City of Memory ), and Joanna To Everybody I know and also those I don't know. Durrell Centenary would like to Hodgkin ( Amateurs in Eden )— express deep appreciation to discussed the pleasures and the I am so sorry not to be able to Rachel Foss, Corinne Alexandre- problems of researching and come and celebrate Larry's Garner, and Isabelle Keller- writing about Durrell’s life. memory with you. But like Privat.) Additionally, Eleni Verhagen everybody I am becoming In addition to panel shared songs and memories older and older and very sessions featuring 40 presenters drawn from the time she spent as tired. I know you have done a from 19 different countries and Lawrence Durrell’s housekeeper. lot to prepare for this the day of special exhibits and Finally, during the Durrell celebration and I thank you talks at the British Library, a Centenary Banquet, held in the deeply for that. bounty of plenary sessions and Great Hall of London House, But please, don't be too keynote addresses marked the Goodenough College, a series of academic;—Try to remember significance of Lawrence Durrell’s addresses and speeches capped him as an ordinary human Centenary. Plenary talks held in off the London events in true being with a way of thinking the Large Common Room at celebratory style. Featured and feeling that is deeply Goodenough College featured the speakers delivering remarks at poetic. following speakers addressing the banquet included: aspects of Durrell’s biography and James Gifford (President, Don't forget that first he was writings: International Lawrence Durrell —he is!!—one of the greatest Leo Mellor (Murray Society); Ian S. MacNiven (Past poets of the last century, Edwards College, Cambridge), President and Founding Member, perhaps the greatest one. “Durrell in Context: Interwar International Lawrence Durrell Of course he is best known for Writers & the Cityscape of Society); Anthea Morton-Saner his novels and travel books, London”; (Curtis Brown Group Ltd, retired); but listen to his poems. It is Corinne Alexandre-Garner Susanna Nicklin (Director of only through his poems that (Université Paris Ouest Nanterre), Literature, British Council); one can hope to be able to feel “Manufacturing Dreams— Suzanne Joinson (Writer and his deep mind and sensibility. Lawrence Durrell’s Fiction Literature Adviser, British Revisited Through Chirico’s Council); Christopher Butler And also don't forget his Metaphysical Paintings”; (Christ Church, Oxford).