Lawrence Durrell (1912-1990) was an English novelist, poet, and travel writer. He is best known for his Alexandria Quartet, a series of four novels set in Alexandria, Egypt, during the Second World War. Durrell was also a prolific writer of non-fiction, including travel books, essays, and memoirs. He was a passionate advocate for the preservation of the natural environment, and his work often explored themes of love, loss, and the search for meaning. Durrell was a member of the British expatriate community in Corfu, Greece, and his experiences there inspired his most famous work, the novel Prospero's Cell. He was awarded the CBE in 1983 for his services to literature.