Judith: A Novel

By Lawrence Durrell

A breathtaking novel of passion and politics, set in the hotbed of Palestine in the 1940s, by a master of twentieth-century fiction

It is the eve of Britain’s withdrawal from Palestine in 1948, a moment that will mark the beginning of a new Israel. But the course of history is uncertain, and Israel’s territorial enemies plan to smother the new country at its birth. Judith Roth has escaped the concentration camps in Germany only to be plunged into the new conflict, one with stakes just as high for her as they are for her people. Initially conceived as a screenplay for the 1966 film starring Sophia Loren, Lawrence Durrell’s previously unpublished novel offers a thrilling portrayal of a place and time when ancient history crashed against the fragile bulwarks of the modernizing world. This ebook features an introduction by editor Richard Pine, which puts Judith in context with Durrell’s body of work and traces the fascinating development of the novel. Also included is an illustrated biography of Lawrence Durrell containing rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author’s estate and the British Library’s modern manuscripts collection.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Media
• Release date: Nov 13, 2012
• ISBN: 9781453270431

Lawrence Durrell

Born in Jalandhar, British India, in 1912 to Indian-born British colonials, Lawrence Durrell was a critically hailed and beloved novelist, poet, humorist, and travel writer best known for the Alexandria Quartet novels, which were ranked by the Modern Library as among the greatest works of English literature in the twentieth century. A passionate and dedicated writer from an early age, Durrell’s prolific career also included the groundbreaking Avignon Quintet, whose first novel, Monsieur (1974), won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, and whose third novel, Constance (1982), was nominated for the Booker Prize. He also penned the celebrated travel memoir Bitter Lemons of Cyprus (1957), which won the Duff Cooper Prize. Durrell corresponded with author Henry Miller for forty-five years, and Miller influenced much of his early work, including a provocative and controversial novel, The Black Book (1938). Durrell died in France in 1990.  

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Reviews for Judith

[lkernagh · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

You know how some books just exude an old black and white film look and feel? This is one of those books!Set during the tumultuous 1948 end of the British Mandate for Palestine and the UN resolution for Israel, Judith is a story that crosses multiple boundaries: politics, religion, military blockades, police mandates, secret intelligence, friendship, romance, personal doubt and rebirth. This never-before-published work by Durrell is part adventure story, part military/spy thriller and part romance all rolled up into one tidy package. Judith, a mathematician and daughter of a Nobel prize-winning scientist of propulsion engine theory, is riskily spirited through the British blockade into Palestine and the Jewish kibbutz of Ras Shamir for reasons she is yet to understand. There she meets Aaron, Peterson and Grete. Grete is a German Jew with more than the Jewish settlement of Palestine on her mind, in fact, the Jewish settlement of Palestine is the farthest thing from her mind, and understandably so given what she has had to endured. Aaron is a man born and raised in the region and a full supporter of Israel as its own nation. Peterson is an intelligent and reasoned Jew by choice. To round out the main characters we have Hugh Lawton, a reluctant British military intelligence officer who's inclusion helps to bring a slightly Casablanca feel to the story.What I really liked about this story is that Durrell has presented a very nicely balanced 360 degree point of view of the main players in this political hotbed situation that was brewing: the British posted to the area, the Jewish raised in the region as well as those recently transplanted from all regions of the world, and the neighboring Arabs. Durrell doesn't take sides or decide who should win as history has already made those decisions for him. His fictionalized view of events is good and kept me reading. As with most other books, I found some characters more developed than others, but the story moved around enough and provided enough plot elements to allow me to forgive some of the character shortcomings, which I am going to chalk up to as being in keeping with the - I assume - 1960's writing style the story was written in. I found the introduction, written by editor Richard Pine, to be of immense value in setting the context of the time period as well as the genesis of the story - originally developed as a screenplay for the 1966 film starring Sophia Loren - and Durrell's background. I highly recommend reading the introduction and glossary before reading this one. Overall a good read and my first introduction to Durrell's works.