I was very disappointed to see that this collection is out of print. I have read the trilogy several times and always found something new to admire. Ms. Manning is very adept at illuminating the communications and mis-communications of marriage and politics. These novels balance emotional life and political effect very well and they work on many levels. I hope it is back in print soon so I can continue to press it on friends without relinquishing my worn copy.

Olivia Manning has written a monumental work, for the first time really expressing what life was like for Romanians--and giving a sense of real history. While quite long, it is worth every word. I highly recomend it.

This series of novels (consisting of The Balkan Trilogy and The Levant Trilogy) focus on the lives of Guy and Harriet Pringle through the years of the second world war. Guy is a lecturer for the British Council and spends the war teaching in Bucharest, Athens and Cairo. The real war action is always close and threatening, never actually centre stage. The novel works well to provide a "ground up" view of war as it effects those civilians on its borders. However, the beauty of the work lies in the day -to -day portrait of a developing relationship. From newly weds to disaffection, through to quiet resignation Harriet and Guy are compelling and real, familiar and challenging. No other novel builds its characters in such detail, no other novel offers such profound insights into the killing familiarity of a marriage. The canvas is large, but the focus of events is on the daily monotony that drains the magic out of relationships but, silently, replaces it with the threads of shared experience and intimate knowledge that can prove a more effective cement . As well as a relationship, this is a catalogue of vivid characters. The prickly intelligent Harriet. The frustratingly socially promiscous Guy -a man you learn to despise and then, over the course of the novels, like a member of your family, to love as well. With them are a collection of secondary characters that are believable and fascinating in their own right as well as catalysts for the main protagonists. A book to read, and re-read and eventually to become part of the fabric of your life.

Olivia Manning died in 1980, shortly after having written the last Coda of her LEVANT TRILOGY. One may consider that she had not the time to finish it. The Greek War Gods had in stock more than a "piece of cake" for Simon Boulderstone, on the island of Leros. After Italy's surrender, the British tried to seize the Italian Dodecanesus and convince the neighboring Turkey to enter WWII on Allies's side. Kos was occupied on Sept.13th, 1943, then Leros, Samos and Castelorizo fell also. But the Germans reacted immediately; paratroopers landed in Kos on Oct. 3 and the British reembarked the next day. Reinforced, Leros tried to repel the German assaults, to no avail, and the garrison withdrew on Nov. 16th Samos had been already evacuated by its temporary conquerors, who tried in vain to relieve the besieged Leros. Perhaps Olivia Manning had other plans for Simon, but her project died with her. What a pity! Source: Churchill's WAR MEMORIES, vol. 9.