Pjevači diplomatskog zbora

Diplomatic Choir Singers is a collection of eleven connected stories narrated by Antrobus, an experienced British diplomat who in a London club recalls his service in the Balkans and other European posts. Antrobus is the central character of the entire book, and through his memories we get to know the gallery of eccentric diplomats, officials and ambassadors.

The stories are based on comical situations that arise when strict diplomatic rules collide with real life. In the story of the ghost train, diplomatic personnel travel through Yugoslavia in circumstances that gradually turn into an almost surreal adventure. In another story, an international incident threatens to break out due to seemingly minor language and protocol misunderstandings. The Frying the Flag episode is particularly famous, in which a clumsy sequence of events leads to a scandal related to the national flag, which causes panic among diplomats out of proportion to the real importance of the event.

Among the striking characters appear Sir Claud Polk-Mowbray, the epitome of bureaucratic smugness, then incompetent officials who persist despite catastrophic mistakes and various consuls and ambassadors obsessed with rules of conduct. In one of the funniest stories, a diplomatic reception organized on a raft ends with uncontrolled sailing down the river, while the guests desperately try to preserve their dignity in the midst of complete chaos.

Although the book is extremely humorous, behind the humor Durrell shows a world where form often becomes more important than content. Diplomats spend more energy on protocol, reports and bickering than on real political problems. This is precisely why the collection remains an interesting satire of bureaucracy and international politics, and the character of Antrobus is one of Durrell's most successful humorous creations.