Lawrence Durrell published 21 novels, 2 novellas, 1 short story collection, 7 non-fiction books, 5 poetry collections, 2 plays and 2 other books, beginning with Justine (1957). The 2 series include The Alexandria Quartet (4 books, starting with Justine) and The Avignon Quintet (2 books, starting with Monsieur).
Updated September 2026
The Alexandria Quartet books in order (4)Series page
Reading order: 1 Justine (1957) · 2 Balthazar (1958) · 3 Mountolive (1958) · 4 Clea (1960)
- 1.
Justine (1957)
- 2.
Balthazar (1958)
- 3.
Mountolive (1958)
- 4.
Clea (1960)
Where to start with Lawrence Durrell
Start here
Justine
Lawrence Durrell's most-read book and the first of the 4 The Alexandria Quartet books.
Standalone novels in order
Pied Piper of Lovers (1935)
White Eagles Over Serbia (1957)
The Black Book (1959)
Pope Joan (1960)
The Dark Labyrinth (1961)
Lawrence Durrell and Henry Miller (1962)
Tunc (1968)
Nunquam (1970)
The Big Supposer (1973)
The Revolt of Aphrodite (1974)
Sicilian Carousel (1977)
Livia (1978)
Spirit of Place (1984)
Quinx, Or, the Ripper's Tale (1985)
The Avignon Quintet (1992)
Novellas in order
Esprit De Corps (1957)
Stiff Upper Lip (1958)
Short story collections in order
Antrobus Complete (1985)
Non-fiction in order
Reflections on a Marine Venus (1953)
Bitter Lemons (1957)
Prospero's Cell (1967)
The Greek Islands (1978)
A Smile in the Mind's Eye (1980)
The Durrell-Miller Letters, 1935-1980 (1988)
The Lawrence Durrell Travel Reader (2004)
Poetry in order
Collected Poems (1960)
The Poetry of Lawrence Durrell (1962)
The Ikons, and Other Poems (1966)
Caesar's Vast Ghost (1990)
Provence (1994)
Plays in order
Sappho (1958)
Acte (1965)
Other books in order
Sauve Qui Peut (1966)
Blue Thirst (2012)
About Lawrence Durrell
Lawrence George Durrell was an expatriate British novelist, poet, dramatist, and travel writer. He was the eldest brother of naturalist and writer Gerald Durrell.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Lawrence Durrell FAQ
- How many books has Lawrence Durrell written?
- Lawrence Durrell published 21 novels, 2 novellas, 1 short story collection, 7 non-fiction books, 5 poetry collections, 2 plays and 2 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Lawrence Durrell's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start The Alexandria Quartet with Justine and The Avignon Quintet with Monsieur. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Lawrence Durrell's last book?
- The Avignon Quintet (1992).
- What is Lawrence Durrell's most famous book?
- Justine (1957) is Lawrence Durrell's most widely read book.
- Are Lawrence Durrell's books connected?
- 6 books belong to 2 series (The Alexandria Quartet and The Avignon Quintet); the other 34 books stand alone.
Authors like Lawrence Durrell
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.