[ilds] A Chronology of the Life and Times of Lawrence Durrell

[Bruce Redwine]

James,

I refer to your postscript and your innuendo that I distorted Chamberlin's "intentions."  Since you don't express yourself clearly and often prefer to rely on ellipses, it's hard to figure out what you intend.  I don't have a "rhetorical strategy."  I'd simply like to know or get at the relationship between a writer's personal life and the books he wrote.  Not everyone on this list has read, as you apparently have, all the letters and biographical materials available on Durrell, and it's patronizing to suggest that thorough knowledge of that background is prerequisite to any discussion of Lawrence Durrell, man and writer.  If only "new" information on LD is sought, then the ILDS should restrict itself to a coterie of scholars with the appropriate credentials.  I find Durrell's abusive behavior disturbing, which is not "new," but I also sense that it is a topic considered off-bounds by the moderators of this list.


Bruce


-----Original Message-----
>From: James Gifford <odos.fanourios at gmail.com>
>Sent: May 24, 2008 7:54 AM
>To: ilds at lists.uvic.ca
>Subject: Re: [ilds] A Chronology of the Life and Times of Lawrence Durrell
>
>Bruce,
>
>Yes, but when did I say otherwise?  Your comments on alcoholism are new 
>(though not new news!), so they're a rather paltry rhetorical strategy, 
>and everything Brewster lists that you comment on has been around for 
>more than a decade in the biographies and 20 years now in the letters. 
>It simply isn't anything we all didn't already know, though it's kind to 
>give Brewster the tip of the hat (he's done fine work, and it would be 
>nice to see his book circulating more widely).
>
>But, the real query is, are you trying to say that you would prefer to 
>pretend Durrell's publishing record with regard to political issues is 
>best ignored by readers because he later drank a great deal?  You and I 
>both know that's false logic.  There are a great many reasons you could 
>disagree with my take on Durrell's politics, and I'd be greatly pleased 
>to hear them, especially since they might be right, but the fact that he 
>drank too much in 1974 really has nothing to do with it...  It's also 
>well-established that his working strategy at that period was to write 
>from the very early morning and then drink away the rest of the day -- 
>the alcoholism doesn't impact the prose and writing the way it does 
>with, say, a Malcolm Lowry or James Joyce, though it's an obvious factor.
>
>But, apart from all that, glasses with a terribly kind mavrodaphne were 
>raised this evening in Kalami.  I hope California heard the echo of the 
>glasses.
>
>Best,
>James
>
>Bruce Redwine wrote:
>> James,
>> 
>> I have not misrepresented what Brewster Chamberlin writes for the year 1974 in Durrell's life.  I don't know what Chamberlin's intentions are, but he records excessive drinking, physical and verbal abuse of a woman, and problems with Miller stemming from the latter.  I would call someone who drinks more than a bottle of wine a day an alcoholic, and I believe medical doctors would too.
>> 
>> 
>> Bruce
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: James Gifford <odos.fanourios at gmail.com>
>>> Sent: May 23, 2008 8:02 PM
>>> To: ilds at lists.uvic.ca
>>> Subject: Re: [ilds] Violence and Disintegration
>>> ps: I've consulted the author with regard to your thoughts on the 
>>> Chronology and its suggestions around 1974, and he believes you're 
>>> reading contrary to his intentions...  Are you now a strong reader 
>>> Bruce?  I hope so -- that might lead to some very exciting things.
>> 
>> 
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