The nytimes is currently discussing that most wonderful of Graham Greene novels, The Power and the Glory. Having perused some of the posts, I’ve found them to be interesting enough to warrant a second look, if only to get people to reread that singularly unhappy and uplifting book.
Afterwards, one should of course read The Quiet American. I managed to pick up the third volume of Greene’s biography for cheap cheap, if anyone knows where I can get the first two volumes (hardbound) for under 6 dollars, I’d be obliged.
April 24, 2006 at 12:05 pm
Both of the first two volumes are for sale in hardcover on Abebooks for less than two bucks.
April 25, 2006 at 6:33 pm
I wonder how many other Graham Greene books you have read and which ones you would recommend for a busy law student who chooses his reading very carefully? Stemming from that question: how good is The Quiet American?
As for suggestions to how to get the first two volumes of his biography, I suggest a little junk store in Iowa City, Iowa called Houseworks.
April 26, 2006 at 1:23 am
To be honest, I’ve only ever read the Power and the Glory and The Quiet American. Both were fantastic, but the nod has to go to TPATG..
On the list though is The Comedians, I’d also like to pick up his short stories.
What’s good about Greene is that his novels read fairly quickly, and seem to leave that haunting feeling of needing to read it again, for fear of having missed things.
April 26, 2006 at 3:14 pm
I was reading some of the NY Times discussion on The Power and the Glory and one of the discussions revolved around the symbolic meaning of the end of the novel.
As I recall there was a short scene involving several characters who had appeared earlier in the book. Much of the final scene revolved around a new priest making his presence known and giving some sort of final message/sermon to the people. I understand the sort of rebirth and hope that I believe Greene was attempting to convey (i.e. the classic christian motif) however, I wonder if there wasn’t any more to this final scene that I missed.
Any thoughts?