# Is "Cefalû" by Lawrence Durrell a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Cefalû by Lawrence Durrell (Editions Poetry London, 1947) is identified by: First edition, first printing, in original cloth with dust jacket. The UK Editions Poetry London printing as Cefalu is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, first printing, in original cloth with dust jacket
- Issued under the title Cefalu, a title scarce in commerce; the novel was later reissued by Faber and Faber as The Dark Labyrinth
- The original title is the collecting point
- Publisher imprint reads Editions Poetry London
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lawrence Durrell |
| Publisher | Editions Poetry London |
| Year | 1947 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, first printing, in original cloth with dust jacket |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First edition, first printing, in original cloth with dust jacket. Issued under the title Cefalu, a title scarce in commerce; the novel was later reissued by Faber and Faber as The Dark Labyrinth. The original title is the collecting point.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Editions Poetry London printing as Cefalu is the true first. Durrell preferred the later title The Dark Labyrinth, under which the work was subsequently reissued by Faber.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Retitled in later editions; no book-club issue under the original title.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Cefalû* by Lawrence Durrell a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/cefal
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.