So so so glad to hear someone speak about these books.. slow and truly beautiful. I have never come across anyone these days who understands the beauty of these. You read from them well too
Thank you for that. I read all of Gerald Durrell's books when I was a child, it's only now, 40+ years later, I've got around to reading big brother 'Larry'. I'm at the end of Justine and heading in to Balthazar. Your description of the lush, rich yet crystal clear writing is very true to my own experience of the books so far. Lovely reading and truly wonderful watercolours.
Absolutely my favorite books. Read the first time at my library in Germany in 1974. Then bought my own paperback books and now I got them also on my kindle ebook reader.
I haven't read the Quartet. But I have read and re-read many times, Lawrence's brother's books on Corfu. Then I came across Lawrence's 'Prospero's Cell' and it was a revelation, a veritable masterpiece of description that made the sights and smells leap out of the page and the emotions engulf you. Indeed a top-shelf writer.
Fantastic video. You are so right about Alexandria as being the most important character in this cycle. It is both so vividly portrayed (as you so eloquently demonstrated with your excellent choice of passage from MOUNTOLIVE), and yet it feels dreamy and ephemeral and uncertain and labyrinthine. This is a rich, confusing (in a great way) far-reaching set of works. I love the attention you are giving to this work. I love your description as well. With your permission I will borrow that word when I describe this and other similar works, both literature and cinema: "sun-soaked". My hat is off to you, sir. Best regards.
Thank you, friend! I was delighted when you said you recently read the Quartet in a recent video of yours. It is a series of books that live within me! They are such wonderful books even when they can be MADDENING and 'over-baked' in that glorious Alexandrian sun. Funny enough, I never saw the film adaption of Justine. What are your thoughts on it?
Thank you for talking about AQ! I read it earlier this year and it is by far the best read, really wish more people would give it a go! I’m definitely not parting with my copy and will reread it many times in the future, love the onion nature of the series and the language. It’s just so good.
Thank you, Ana! I saw some of your reviews related to the Quartet. It really is something special and a world I can't wait to tap back into though I think readings of it certainly need a few years in-between. So, so good!
I’m from the great Alexandria city..I was born in midtown .almost every thing you have red through your book it is very true describing the whole entire ambiance real and fact..we are lucky to have these books and much more lucky to have Alexandria the true the great..thank you
Good Lord, man, I had already wanted to read this quartet; now I want to positively shoot it into my veins beginning this very evening! What a masterful introduction! And after that mellifluous extended reading,I hereby appoint you the LeVar Burton of BookTube.
I think you would absolutely get wrapped up Durrell's Quartet. They can be a commitment and the series is flawed in some ways but I love it. Thanks for watching, Shawn
I was waiting for another one of these! Glad to get to know another one of your favorites. I can't say that I have ever heard about The Alexandria Quartet but now I'm very excited to give it a try. I guess that's the best part ^^ It sounds like a great read allowing a reader to stay in the same world for some time. Thank you for reading a fragment - it was lovely. The only downside was that I couldn't see your hair which made me question whether I'm still watching MementoMori. "Do you see THE curl? No? Have you switched a video by accident?"
I read Justine about 5 years ago and loved it. Just a few days ago I found the complete set of the four novels and will read them all shortly. Great review. Subscribed!
This piqued my interest so I just mosied over to Lawrence’s Wiki page and saw this. Wow 😯 ‘He was predeceased by his younger daughter, Sappho Jane, who took her own life in 1985 at age 33. After Durrell's death, it emerged that Sappho's diaries included allusions to an alleged incestuous relationship with her father.’
Historian Forrest McDonald liked the Quartet. I always found it pleasantly curious that a a crusty southerner and Alexander Hamilton historian enjoyed the book so much. It's a sensuous work. I suspect it translates well into the romantic languages like Spanish. I sometimes forget Durrell was British Whenever I think of Durrell, the American Frederic Prokosch comes to mind, and his beautiful novels The Asiatics and The Seven Who Fled. Beside people on youtube, in my 30 years of reading novels and being around literary people, I've never encountered anyone who has read Durrell or Prokosch.
You've quite the lovely reading voice. I do enjoy delving further and further into your bro-lit aesthetic and your thesis style videos. The narration bit you read sounds very similar to Compass by Mathias Énard. You may enjoy it. It's a spitfire French translation with plenty of opium to spare.
Much thanks, Matthew! -- Compass has been praised by a lot of people whose taste I really gel with, I will definitely be picking it up when it comes out in paperback. IMMERSE ME! ;)
I read this book because it was one of the most famous and influential books of its time - at the tender age of 17. It left such bad taste in my mouth. Even now I cringe every time someone mentions it.The love story made me nauseous - the last meeting of the lovers still makes me angry;-) I was so incredibly disappointed - it really did not age well. I remember that Robert Graves revered it as did so many of my favourite English writes. I prefer the other brother : Gerald Durrell and his lovely memoir "My family and other animals". I'm so glad you've enjoyed it - love your reviews and your eloquence. Best regards.
Thank you, Kathy. I could not imagine picking up Durrell at 17 - As someone who usually despises heavy, melodramatic romance - I was completely enamored by the love stories within the Quartet. I was shocked at how much I enjoyed them! I will look into Gerald.
You are on a roll, Mr. Adam. I have Durrell's Alexandria Quartet in my Library for nostalgic and sentimental reasons. I do know that for me Durrell did not translate well to audio but you did a great job inspiring me to read them. I still rather prefer his brother Gerald but I am nonetheless still looking for an affordable vintage edition of Lawrence's 1938? account of his family's sojourn on Crete ( or was it Cyprus?) that his brother took 30 years to get out. Anyway, when you're good, you're damn good. Thank you the review and reading.
Do you like the way Melissa hears the Adhan and doesn't understand it and then, a few volumes later, Justine does understand. But I like the bit with Melissa better.
Concerning The Alexandria Quartet, one of my biggest regrets was not being able to read it while I lived in Cairo in the mid 90s. I couldn't find an English edition. One day I hope to be able to read it and hopefully be able to recall some of Alexandria. Beautiful passage! Damn you read well!!! :)
Well it might be even better now because a big part of the books is nostalgia and how we THINK we remember a certain time and place... maybe it will invoke your own time in Cairo. I have never been to Egypt but I desperately want to visit.
I have to admit I haven't read any books from the series. I used to have Justine. I was thinking of next year reading an entire series or trillogies. I have been debating between Trollope's Baretshire series, which I have 3 of the 5 books, Galloway's The Forstythe Saga, which I have 2 books of or Dos Passo's USA trilogy, which I have all of. Maybe now I will seek out the Alexandria Quartet
It is a great summer read! Also, the first volume, 'Justine' can certainly be read as a stand-a-lone so you don't need to be afraid about investing the time if you don't get along with the story for whatever reason. Hope you enjoy!
These are some of the finest novels of the twentieth century and are horribly underappreciated. I reviewed them on my book channel, NicholasOfAutrecourt, several years ago.
Yeah, it is mind boggling that the Quartet does not maintain as big of an audience as it once did... nice to know others on here have enjoyed it as much I have.
Adam! I have no idea if you take requests, but it would be really interesting to know what books you'd make mandatory for students to read, if you got the choice. Lovely video as always!
Thanks for the review, will definitely read this! I'm a big fan of Gerald Durrell, particularly My Family and Other Animals. Have you read that book, and if so, do you think the 2 brothers have similar styles, as he is also beautifully descriptive?
Your enthusiasm for this series of novels is infectious. Unfortunately I was not moved by Justine and haven't found the resolve to push forward. Durrell's prose is so purple you can almost hear "Smoke on the Water" playing in the background (and this from someone who likes late-period Henry James).
LOL at the the James comment. As someone who usually avoids that purple prose I myself was surprised at how swept I got up in Durrell's vision of Alexandria! Thank you for watching.
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So so so glad to hear someone speak about these books.. slow and truly beautiful. I have never come across anyone these days who understands the beauty of these. You read from them well too
Thank you for that. I read all of Gerald Durrell's books when I was a child, it's only now, 40+ years later, I've got around to reading big brother 'Larry'. I'm at the end of Justine and heading in to Balthazar. Your description of the lush, rich yet crystal clear writing is very true to my own experience of the books so far. Lovely reading and truly wonderful watercolours.
doing that same journey but 35 years later :)
Absolutely my favorite books. Read the first time at my library in Germany in 1974. Then bought my own paperback books and now I got them also on my kindle ebook reader.
I haven't read the Quartet. But I have read and re-read many times, Lawrence's brother's books on Corfu. Then I came across Lawrence's 'Prospero's Cell' and it was a revelation, a veritable masterpiece of description that made the sights and smells leap out of the page and the emotions engulf you. Indeed a top-shelf writer.
I read The Alexandria Quartet years ago and have never forgotten them, they are wonderful books. Justine was always my favorite.
Mine too!
I've read all these books 4 times now and I hope to read them all again
I read Justine about 30 years ago and absolutely loved it! Glad I just found your review!
Fantastic video. You are so right about Alexandria as being the most important character in this cycle. It is both so vividly portrayed (as you so eloquently demonstrated with your excellent choice of passage from MOUNTOLIVE), and yet it feels dreamy and ephemeral and uncertain and labyrinthine. This is a rich, confusing (in a great way) far-reaching set of works. I love the attention you are giving to this work. I love your description as well. With your permission I will borrow that word when I describe this and other similar works, both literature and cinema: "sun-soaked". My hat is off to you, sir.
Best regards.
Thank you, friend! I was delighted when you said you recently read the Quartet in a recent video of yours. It is a series of books that live within me! They are such wonderful books even when they can be MADDENING and 'over-baked' in that glorious Alexandrian sun.
Funny enough, I never saw the film adaption of Justine. What are your thoughts on it?
My favourite novel/writer ever...the paintings are incredible. I named my first daughter Clea...which we pronounce C-L-A
Thank you for talking about AQ! I read it earlier this year and it is by far the best read, really wish more people would give it a go!
I’m definitely not parting with my copy and will reread it many times in the future, love the onion nature of the series and the language. It’s just so good.
Thank you, Ana! I saw some of your reviews related to the Quartet. It really is something special and a world I can't wait to tap back into though I think readings of it certainly need a few years in-between. So, so good!
I’m from the great Alexandria city..I was born in midtown .almost every thing you have red through your book it is very true describing the whole entire ambiance real and fact..we are lucky to have these books and much more lucky to have Alexandria the true the great..thank you
Good Lord, man, I had already wanted to read this quartet; now I want to positively shoot it into my veins beginning this very evening! What a masterful introduction!
And after that mellifluous extended reading,I hereby appoint you the LeVar Burton of BookTube.
I think you would absolutely get wrapped up Durrell's Quartet. They can be a commitment and the series is flawed in some ways but I love it.
Thanks for watching, Shawn
Great video. Thks for reading a bit of it. The style of the author sounds amazing. To the TBR pile it goes!
Mr. Wlmot's watercolors are, indeed, incredible. Thank you for sharing them.
I finished Elmet and I understand why it was a finalist for the ManBooker! Loved it!
I was waiting for another one of these! Glad to get to know another one of your favorites. I can't say that I have ever heard about The Alexandria Quartet but now I'm very excited to give it a try. I guess that's the best part ^^ It sounds like a great read allowing a reader to stay in the same world for some time.
Thank you for reading a fragment - it was lovely. The only downside was that I couldn't see your hair which made me question whether I'm still watching MementoMori. "Do you see THE curl? No? Have you switched a video by accident?"
Fantastic video, I love this series you are doing and am excited to see what else you are going to talk about! I’m adding these to my wishlist!
Much thanks! My goal is to do one of the videos per season so hold me to it :D
I am not an audio book person but I really got into your reading voice. Maybe you should read us a chapter a day of the quartet. Hmmmm?!
I read Justine about 5 years ago and loved it. Just a few days ago I found the complete set of the four novels and will read them all shortly. Great review. Subscribed!
This piqued my interest so I just mosied over to Lawrence’s Wiki page and saw this. Wow 😯
‘He was predeceased by his younger daughter, Sappho Jane, who took her own life in 1985 at age 33. After Durrell's death, it emerged that Sappho's diaries included allusions to an alleged incestuous relationship with her father.’
your reading was lovely. do it more!
Historian Forrest McDonald liked the Quartet. I always found it pleasantly curious that a a crusty southerner and Alexander Hamilton historian enjoyed the book so much.
It's a sensuous work. I suspect it translates well into the romantic languages like Spanish.
I sometimes forget Durrell was British
Whenever I think of Durrell, the American Frederic Prokosch comes to mind, and his beautiful novels The Asiatics and The Seven Who Fled.
Beside people on youtube, in my 30 years of reading novels and being around literary people, I've never encountered anyone who has read Durrell or Prokosch.
You've quite the lovely reading voice.
I do enjoy delving further and further into your bro-lit aesthetic and your thesis style videos.
The narration bit you read sounds very similar to Compass by Mathias Énard. You may enjoy it. It's a spitfire French translation with plenty of opium to spare.
Much thanks, Matthew! -- Compass has been praised by a lot of people whose taste I really gel with, I will definitely be picking it up when it comes out in paperback. IMMERSE ME! ;)
Beautifully read...
Well, Adam, you’ve convinced me: AQ has been on my e shelf for far too long. Now it’s on my Summer List for 2018.
I read this book because it was one of the most famous and influential books of its time - at the tender age of 17. It left such bad taste in my mouth. Even now I cringe every time someone mentions it.The love story made me nauseous - the last meeting of the lovers still makes me angry;-) I was so incredibly disappointed - it really did not age well. I remember that Robert Graves revered it as did so many of my favourite English writes. I prefer the other brother : Gerald Durrell and his lovely memoir "My family and other animals". I'm so glad you've enjoyed it - love your reviews and your eloquence. Best regards.
Thank you, Kathy. I could not imagine picking up Durrell at 17 - As someone who usually despises heavy, melodramatic romance - I was completely enamored by the love stories within the Quartet. I was shocked at how much I enjoyed them! I will look into Gerald.
You are on a roll, Mr. Adam. I have Durrell's Alexandria Quartet in my Library for nostalgic and sentimental reasons. I do know that for me Durrell did not translate well to audio but you did a great job inspiring me to read them. I still rather prefer his brother Gerald but I am nonetheless still looking for an affordable vintage edition of Lawrence's 1938? account of his family's sojourn on Crete ( or was it Cyprus?) that his brother took 30 years to get out.
Anyway, when you're good, you're damn good. Thank you the review and reading.
Difficult novels with some really great moments. I remember the English transvestite cop.
I've read them years ago. I shall read them again.
You just made that sound a
like a pretty wonderful reading - I will definitely give it a go. I'm also planning a trip to Egypt, perfect timing 😘
I think if you can't take me to Egypt, 'Justine' would be the next best companion!
I doubt modern alexandria will bear any resemblance... may you find at least pockets of durrell's alexandria!
Do you like the way Melissa hears the Adhan and doesn't understand it and then, a few volumes later, Justine does understand. But I like the bit with Melissa better.
Concerning The Alexandria Quartet, one of my biggest regrets was not being able to read it while I lived in Cairo in the mid 90s. I couldn't find an English edition. One day I hope to be able to read it and hopefully be able to recall some of Alexandria. Beautiful passage! Damn you read well!!! :)
Well it might be even better now because a big part of the books is nostalgia and how we THINK we remember a certain time and place... maybe it will invoke your own time in Cairo. I have never been to Egypt but I desperately want to visit.
I think that's why I'm more anxious to read it. I would love to compare what I remember to his memories. Interesting reading project...
I have to admit I haven't read any books from the series. I used to have Justine. I was thinking of next year reading an entire series or trillogies. I have been debating between Trollope's Baretshire series, which I have 3 of the 5 books, Galloway's The Forstythe Saga, which I have 2 books of or Dos Passo's USA trilogy, which I have all of. Maybe now I will seek out the Alexandria Quartet
Wonderful intro to the AQ. Hmm, have you been reading my mail, this is on my gotta read list -- I think it'll be a great summer read ...
It is a great summer read! Also, the first volume, 'Justine' can certainly be read as a stand-a-lone so you don't need to be afraid about investing the time if you don't get along with the story for whatever reason. Hope you enjoy!
These are some of the finest novels of the twentieth century and are horribly underappreciated. I reviewed them on my book channel, NicholasOfAutrecourt, several years ago.
Yeah, it is mind boggling that the Quartet does not maintain as big of an audience as it once did... nice to know others on here have enjoyed it as much I have.
That was a tacit invitation for you to become a unflaggingly loyal admirer and subscriber to the channel.
Adam! I have no idea if you take requests, but it would be really interesting to know what books you'd make mandatory for students to read, if you got the choice. Lovely video as always!
Thanks for the review, will definitely read this! I'm a big fan of Gerald Durrell, particularly My Family and Other Animals. Have you read that book, and if so, do you think the 2 brothers have similar styles, as he is also beautifully descriptive?
Have you also read Durrell's Avignon Quintet? Though much longer, of course, I found it an easier read than AQ.
Your enthusiasm for this series of novels is infectious. Unfortunately I was not moved by Justine and haven't found the resolve to push forward. Durrell's prose is so purple you can almost hear "Smoke on the Water" playing in the background (and this from someone who likes late-period Henry James).
LOL at the the James comment. As someone who usually avoids that purple prose I myself was surprised at how swept I got up in Durrell's vision of Alexandria! Thank you for watching.
Thank u sir
Ok, I’m totally reading the Alexandria Quartet and stop making ppl hot and bothered with that sensual voice of yours.
Just imagine me whispering into your ears while wearing gray sweatpants!
Stop it! 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
Sorry to be that guy but it’s pronounced Durrell and not Doo’rel