Lawrence Durrell 
Balthazar 
Introduced by Alaa Al Aswany

Lose yourself in the thrilling political intrigue and tangled love affairs of wartime Egypt, in Durrell's epic modern classic.Every interpretation of reality is based upon a unique position …As the threat of war looms over Alexandria, an exiled Anglo-Irish schoolteacher unravels his erotic obsession with two women: Melissa, a dancer, and Justine, a glamorous Egyptian wife. During sessions with his psychiatrist, Balthazar, their intricate love affair is cast in a radical, sinister new light, illuminating a mysterious plot connected to a recent murder – but Lawrence Durrell's kaleidoscopic storytelling means that nothing is ever as it seems …'Legendary … Casts a spell … A fine storyteller. Reader, watch out!' Jan Morris, Guardian'A brave and brazen work … Lush and grandiose.'Independent'One of the very best novelists of our time … [such] beauty.' New York Times Book Review VOLUME TWO OF LAWRENCE DURRELL'S ALEXANDRIA QUARTET