Beginning the Journey

Just as I closed the laptop lid on another writing project, two books arrived from the London Library. Lawrence Durrell: A Biography, the authorised biography of 1998, and 1996's Through the Dark Labyrinth, the work of a fan who couldn’t stop writing about his hero, Larry. The author of the second work, Gordon Bowker, departed in 2019, and the author of the first, who was a friend of Larry, is now 83. Clues to the international life of Larry: Ian MacNiven, the authorised biographer, was an American professor, and Bowker first came across Larry’s poems in Egypt.

I had a warm response from the Twittersphere, especially from fans of Larry. It’s always a risk, mentioning something so embryonic, but it’s an approach I have taken on this year as my nature tends me to start projects full of excitement, only for it to wane a few weeks later. If people are counting on you, in however small a way, it helps to keep the nose to the ground. It worked on my last book, but this one will be more like a marathon. I have been reading about Patrick Leigh Fermor’s astonishing life for over ten years, but without a specific project in mind. If I am to learn as much about Lawrence Durrell, I need to get moving.

Remember I come to this story first and foremost as a Cold War student, with an eye for the wartime efforts of both men. Paddy is famous on Crete for his heroic efforts with SOE. Larry had no single heroic adventure to compare, as far as I know so far, but he was certainly active in the war. I make this point to show that I am not so interested in the reams of English literature that both men composed, especially Larry. I am more interested in the people who created those works, because it is quite a straightforward thing for anyone to read the books they created over many decades. Less likely is that you will seek their letters and diaries, which is how I first came across Paddy. A volume of letters between Larry and Henry Miller will make especially interesting reading, now that I know Larry tried to keep his letters out of the book during his lifetime. He was most clear that the authorised MacNiven biography was to be held back until after his death.

I have already found some stunning revelations, even in the first few pages of reading last night. Welcome along. I do not know where the journey will end, or when, but I know it will be fascinating.