# Is "Sebastian, or Ruling Passions" by Lawrence Durrell a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Sebastian, or Ruling Passions by Lawrence Durrell (Faber & Faber, 1983) is identified by: First edition, Faber & Faber, London, 1983, in publisher's cloth with the dust jacket designed by David Gentleman. UK Faber & Faber is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, Faber & Faber, London, 1983, in publisher's cloth with the dust jacket designed by David Gentleman
- Volume 4 of The Avignon Quintet
- ISBN 0571131115
- The first-issue jacket bears the printed price at the flap and Gentleman's pictorial design; unclipped examples are preferred but clipping does not change the edition
- Publisher imprint reads Faber & Faber
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lawrence Durrell |
| Publisher | Faber & Faber |
| Year | 1983 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, Faber & Faber, London, 1983, in publisher's cloth with the dust jacket designed by David Gentleman |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First edition, Faber & Faber, London, 1983, in publisher's cloth with the dust jacket designed by David Gentleman. Volume 4 of The Avignon Quintet. ISBN 0571131115. The first-issue jacket bears the printed price at the flap and Gentleman's pictorial design; unclipped examples are preferred but clipping does not change the edition.

## Is this the true first?
UK Faber & Faber is the true first. A US edition followed from The Viking Press (dated 1983/1984).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue noted.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Sebastian, or Ruling Passions* by Lawrence Durrell a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/sebastian-or-ruling-passions
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.