Lawrence Durrell

Lawrence Durrell (1912–1990) was a British writer, poet, dramatist and travel writer. He was born in Jalandhar, India, the son of a British colonial official, and was sent to school in England at the age of eleven. Before establishing himself as a writer, he worked briefly as a bar pianist. During the Second World War he served the British government in Alexandria and later undertook cultural and public-relations work in several other countries, until 1956. He became known chiefly for the novel “The Black Book” (1938) and “The Alexandria Quartet.” His other works include “Prospero’s Cell” and “The Avignon Quintet.” Durrell died in Sommières, France, in 1990.