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In this brilliant adaptation of a novel by the 19th century Greek author Emmanuel Royidis, Lawrence Durrell traces the remarkable history of a young woman who travelled across Europe in the ninth century disguised as a monk, acquired great learning, and ruled over Christendom for two years as Pope John VIII before her sudden and surprising death. When "Papissa Joanna" was first published in Athens in 1886 it created a sensation. The book was banned and its author excommunicated. It nevertheless brought him immediate fame and the work established itself securely in the history of modern Greek literature. Subsequently Durrell, one of the most important British writers of the 20th century, created a masterpiece in its own right--a dazzling concoction presented with the deftest touch.… (more)
The epic poet usually begins in the middle of everything. Novelists, too, are rather apt to do the same thing - and roughly a tenth of their work may be classified as prose poetry. Thus the hero, while he happens to be stretched out in a cave or a palace, on a couch, or on a bed of down, is in the habit of recapitulating all that has gone before for the benefit of his beloved. 'Having offered love sufficient sacrifice' . . . etc. You know the tag.
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Florus became a hermit; and the pious pilgrims, in order not to contaminate their sandals by walking in the footsteps of the sacrilegious woman Pope, have ever since taken another road to the Lateran.
Lawrence Durrell is the predominant translator of this work. The original author is Emmanuel Royidis. For further discussion of combination issues regarding this work please see http://www.librarything.com/topic/605....
In this brilliant adaptation of a novel by the 19th century Greek author Emmanuel Royidis, Lawrence Durrell traces the remarkable history of a young woman who travelled across Europe in the ninth century disguised as a monk, acquired great learning, and ruled over Christendom for two years as Pope John VIII before her sudden and surprising death. When "Papissa Joanna" was first published in Athens in 1886 it created a sensation. The book was banned and its author excommunicated. It nevertheless brought him immediate fame and the work established itself securely in the history of modern Greek literature. Subsequently Durrell, one of the most important British writers of the 20th century, created a masterpiece in its own right--a dazzling concoction presented with the deftest touch.
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Wikipedia in English
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