born Feb. 27, 1912, Jullundur, India
died Nov. 7, 1990, Sommières, France
British writer.
He spent most of his life in Mediterranean countries, often in diplomatic posts. He is best known for the tetralogy The Alexandria Quartet, composed of the novels Justine (1957), Balthazar (1958), Mountolive (1958), and Clea (1960), which explore the erotic lives of a group of exotic characters in Alexandria, Egypt. His poetry
including Cities, Plains and People (1946)
and nonfiction books about locales
including Prospero's Cell (1945), Reflections on a Marine Venus (1953), and Bitter Lemons (1957), describing three Greek islands
are often considered his best works.