Durrell School of Corfu, Joanna Hodgkin and Corinne Alexandre-Garner

An inspiring double book launch (author talks) at the Durrell School of Corfu, on the evening of 21 June:

Joanna Hodgkin presented her fascinating book "Amateurs in Eden: The Story of a Bohemian Marriage: Nancy and Lawrence Durrell". I had read the book in England, before coming out to Greece, so it was an unexpected pleasure to be able to hear the author talk about the writing of a biography of her mother Nancy, an artist and sculptress in her own right, the first wife of Lawrence Durrell. Nancy preferred her husband's poetry, island books and "The Black Book" to his more popular and successful "Alexandria Quartet".

Joanna Hodgkin (above)

Corinne Alexandre-Garner presented her book "Lawrence Durrell: Dans l'Ombre du Soleil Grec", which is also essential reading (if ordering from Amazon, find it under the name of Lawrence Durrell), and is much more than an anthology (in French translation) of Durrell's writing on the spirit of place.
The author's perspective is illuminating on the subject of Lawrence Durrell's personal creative journey, his sense of loss, including lost homes, his feeling of "non-attachment" and the influence of the Himalayas, and of  Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching on his imagination (cf his wonderful essay "A Smile in the Mind's Eye"). The book is worth having, even for those who do not read French, for the reproductions of Durrell's paintings and of drawings from his notebooks.

Corinne Alexandre-Garner

I regret that I won't be able to attend more than a few of the sessions of the Durrell School of Corfu seminar (20-27 June), "Lawrence Durrell in Corfu: A Centenary Reappraisal", but you should really try to get along to some of the sessions if you possibly can, even if you have to turn up in your swimming costumes. There are some very distinguished speakers, writers and academics participating this year. An opportunity not to be missed, in spite of the very hot weather.