It is not often that a world-famous author uses one of his books to express his clarifications in a handwritten note on the front free end paper of one of his books. It is more rare for a book dealer, finding the note in the book, to send the author a letter requesting clarification of the note. It is rarest of all for the author to respond to the book dealer.

 All of these rarities take place via this copy of Lawrence Durrell’s “The Black Book”. Those of you who would like more insight into the personality and circumstances of Lawrence Durrell would enjoy his handwritten letter from 1982 in which he answered this bookdealer’s (Susan Heller) query as to an inscription in her second printing copy of The Black Book. The inscription, on the front free end paper, reads “To VM. Who, if I had known her, this book would have been all about. Fondly, Larry D. Cairo, 1958”.

This offering contains:

    • A copy of the letter sent by Susan Heller, book dealer, to Laurence Durrell, dated August 14, 1982, requesting his explanation of the inscription.

    • Lawrence Durrell’s response to Susan Heller’s letter, handwritten on the copy of the inscription accompanying that letter. Point by point he corrected Susan’s suppositions and, supplying his own, the content of which is clearly seen.

    • The return envelope transmitting Lawrence Durrell’s response to Susan Heller.

    • A copy of this 2nd printing of The Black Book. The book, which measures approximately 5 ¾ inches wide by 8 ¼ inches tall by 1 inch thick, contains 250 pages of text. It was published in the United States in 1960 by E. F. Dutton & Co., with the First Printing in August 1960 and this Second Printing in September 1960. The book is hard bound in dark brown cloth covered boards with gilt lettering on the spine and enclosed in a dust jacket and mylar protective cover. The book is in very good condition.

The illustrations accompanying this description show the front face of the dust jacket, Lawrence Durrell’s inscription on the front free end paper, Susan Heller’s letter to Mr. Durrell, Mr. Durrell’s response to Ms. Heller, and the envelope in which the response was enclosed.

       

Lawrence Durrell, in full Lawrence George Durrell, (Feb. 27, 1912 — Nov. 7, 1990), English novelist, poet, and writer of topographical books, verse plays, and farcical short stories who is best known as the author of The Alexandria Quartet, a series of four interconnected novels. Durrell spent most of his life outside England and had little sympathy with the English character. He was educated in India until he reached age 11 and moved in 1935 to the island of Corfu. During World War II he served as press attaché to the British embassies in Cairo and Alexandria, and after the war he spent time in Yugoslavia, Rhodes, Cyprus, and the south of France. Durrell wrote several books of poetry and prose before the publication of The Alexander Quartet, composed of Justine (1957), Balthazar (1958), Mount Olive (1958), and Clea (1960). The lush and sensuous tetralogy became a best-seller and won high critical esteem. [Britannica]