The Quiet American by Graham Greene (Ad-Free/Patron-only early access)
One of the few perfect novels I've read in my lifetime. A masterpiece.
Comments (6)
Pleased you were persuaded to embark on your Greene journey with 'TQA,' long may it continue. He is a VERY Catholic writer, so don't be surprised to find matters of faith foregrounded in his fictions. I class him among what I consider other "Catholic cynics" – Muriel Spark, Evelyn Waugh, and Flannery O'Connor. Graham combines the pointed temperance of popular storytelling with a profound appreciation for human animal (and the character of our institutions – as this clairvoyant portrait of American diplomacy proves.) He was possessed of all the right gifts, in just the required amounts; would have been a worthy Nobel laureate, had his candidacies been able to survive the short list.
Rose Darko: Do you even know who Graham Greene is? Kitty Farmer: I think we've all seen Bonanza. -Donnie Darko
If you like the lizards, wait till you see the palmetto bugs. The Quiet American is quite satisfying. The film with Caine is great; don't bother with the original film version.
Another of Bourdain’s favourites. Great review. I’ll have to revisit the book one day.
Great review, I am glad you enjoyed it. Hopefully you will be able to read some of Greene's other works in the future. I highly recommend The end of the affair and The power and the glory.
I am a HUGE Graham Greene fan. I haven't read this one but End of the Affair is one of my top 5 novels of all time.