[grey-area]

They can be quite difficult to get into, particularly for those who haven't had similar experiences, but I think they are worth the effort. They are also stylistically brilliant and contain some great character sketches so they are worth approaching from that angle too.

They will give you great insight into the sense of unease felt by functionaries in a dying empire who can sense the end, and react in various ways to this (disillusion, cynicism, outrage, despair). He's also big on doomed or failed relationships which never quite seem to end (in particular catholic marriages), and of course the books shed light on the relationship of a lapsed catholic to God, who pops up when you least expect him. As you may be able to tell from that summary, they are not often light reading, though he does spice the stories with little jokes. A sense of doom and unease just comes with his world view I think and you can never escape that in his novels.

Our man in Havana is quite fun without being too heavy, so that might be a good place to start. The Quiet American is also good and concerned with the end of another empire (the French colony in Vietnam), and the sharp end of the US intervention there.

[smogcutter]

Just to add to the recommendation of The Quiet American: my edition includes a collection of Greene’s screenplay treatments, which is basically a master class in plot development.

[stonecraftwolf]

Oh wow. What edition is that?

[smogcutter]

I’ll see if I can find it, but it’s an old mass paperback, like with the old pulp novel style binding. Keep your eye peeled in the used book store.

I’ll reply again with the publisher info if I find it.

[stonecraftwolf]

Thanks! I would love to find a copy of that. The Third Man is just...gutting.