Clea

by Lawrence Durrell, Nicholas Boulton (Read by)

Overview

‘I knew that Clea would share everything with me, withholding nothing – not even the look of complicity which women reserve only for their mirrors.’

In Clea, the concluding part of The Alexandria Quartet, Darley returns to Alexandria now caught by war-fever. The conflagration has its effect on his circle – on Nessim and Justine, Balthazar and Clea, Mountolive and Pombal – a clarity of purpose emerges as the story moves towards its cadence.

Music: Ravel, Debussy, Macdowell

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798200812912
Publisher:	Naxos
Publication date:	07/20/2021
Series:	Alexandria Quartet Series , #4
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 6.70(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Lawrence Durrell (1912–1990) was a British novelist, poet, dramatist, and travel writer. He preferred not to be associated with Britain and instead considered himself cosmopolitan. He attained fame in 1957 after publishing Justine, the first volume of his ambitious Alexandria Quartet series. Balthazar and Mountolive followed in 1958, with Clea in 1960. He published many other novels, including Tunc (1968) and its sequel Nunquam (1970), and the Avignon Quintet series, consisting of five novels published between 1974 and 1985. His final book, Caesar’s Vast Ghost: Aspects of Provence was published the year he died, in 1990.

Nicholas Boulton graduated from The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, winning the BBC Carleton Hobbs Award for Radio. He has since been featured in countless BBC radio dramas, narrated a plethora of award-winning audiobooks, and died a thousand deaths in various video games. Film, TV and theatre appearances include Shakespeare in Love, Game of Thrones and Wolf Hall (RSC).

Editorial Reviews

[Editor’s Note: The following is a combined review with JUSTINE, MOUNTOLIVE, and BALTHAZAR.]--The four linked novels that comprise English author Lawrence Durrell’s masterpiece, THE ALEXANDRIA QUARTET, are set in Alexandria, Egypt, around the time of WWII. The four novels explore the city’s polyglot society, full of intrigue, mystery, and sensuality, telling essentially the same story from different points of view. JUSTINE focuses on the beautiful Jewish wife of a wealthy Copt. Her story is told by Darley, her English lover. In BALTHAZAR, Darley reconsiders and retells the story he told in Justine, using information from a mysterious new character, Balthazar. In MOUNTOLIVE, as war begins to loom, British Ambassador David Mountolive enters the intrigues of the interwoven community of characters. In CLEA, Darley returns to a war-fevered Alexandria as the stories of the many characters move toward conclusion. Narrator Nigel Anthony provides a brilliant reading, keeping the variety of voices--English, French, Egyptian--distinct throughout. He offers a one-man play, conveying the passions, disappointments, and triumphs of the complex cast. The classical music interludes that delineate sections of this beautifully produced and packaged set help transport the listener to back- streets of Alexandria. R.E.K. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine

OCT/NOV 02 - AudioFile