Alan G. Thomas

Alan G. Thomas, born on 19th October, 1911, was a Bournemouth-based antiquarian bookseller (of Commin's Bookshop, Bournemouth, England), bibliophile and Lawrence Durrell scholar. He came to know the young writers-in-the-making Lawrence and Gerald Durrell soon after their family moved to Bournemouth in 1932 'becoming a kind of extra brother to the boys and a lifelong friend' and correspondent. [cite book|author=Botting, Douglas|title=Gerald Durrell: the authorised biography|publisher=HarperCollins|year=1999|isbn=0 00 255660 X] Alan Thomas is the editor of "Spirit of Place: Essays and Letters on Travel" (1969), a compendium of letters and essays by British author and poet Lawrence Durrell. He has also written on Lawrence Durrell's works, books, and book collecting, some books associated with him being:
*"Spirit of Place: Essays and Letters on Travel" (by Lawrence Durrell, edited by Alan G. Thomas) (1969)
*"Fine Books: Pleasures and Treasures" (1971)
*"Fine Books and Book Collecting: books and manuscripts acquired from Alan G. Thomas and described by his customers on the occasion of his seventieth birthday" (co-authors: Christopher De Hamel and Richard A. Linenthal) (1981)
*"Great Books and Book Collectors" (1983)
*"Lawrence Durrell: an illustrated checklist" (co-author James A. Brigham) (1983)

The Lawrence Durrell Collection at the British Library was a gift by Alan G. Thomas of numerous books, journals and other materials of or pertaining to Lawrence Durrell.

A collection of Thomas' letters to James A. Brigham is held at the University of Victoria.

References