Sappho: A Play in Verse. by Lawrence Durrell - 1967.

London, UK Faber & Faber , 1967. Paperback First Edition thus (1967); so stated. First published in hardcover in 1950. Very Good in Wraps: shows mild edgewear; a spot of sticker shadow at the upper front panel; some faint creasing at the backstrip; mild rubbing to the panels; the binding glue is brittle and has cracked in one spot; the text is clean. Free of creased or dog-eared pages in the text. Free of any underlining, hi-lighting or marginalia or marks in the text itself. Free of any ownership names, dates, addresses, notations, inscriptions, stamps, plates, or labels. A carefully used copy, flawed, but showing only mild wear and minor, unobtrusive cosmetic flaws. NOT a Remainder, Book-Club, or Ex-Library. 8vo. (7.25 x 4.75 x 0.45 inches). 187 pages. Language: English. Weight: 6 ounces. First Edition thus (1967); so stated. First published in hardcover in 1950. Trade Paperback. This is one of the most remarkable, thought provoking, profound, and-- to put it bluntly-- gut wrenchingly tragic plays I have ever read. This great play seems to have been relegated to obscurity because it was written in verse by an outsider to theatre who's much better known as a novelist. In the immediately post World War II era, the pathos of the times found more of a theatrical voice in absurdism. While this play takes essentially the same dark philosophical view with very modern ideas, its verse style and ancient Greek setting must have seemed outdated. It probably smelled too much of literature and poetry to attract interest then. I sincerely hope it eventually will be resurrected and given the recognition that I feel it's due; for I continue to get more out of it at each reading, and I would dearly love to see it staged.