I'm almost ashamed to admit it took me this long to read my first Graham Greene novel. I love The Third Man, the movie he did the screenplay for with Orson Welles. I've enjoyed movie adaptations of his works, including the Michael Caine-Brendan Fraser version of The Quiet American. So why it took me so long to pick up one of his works is beyond me.
I greatly enjoyed The Quiet American. Despite being written in 1955 it seems as modern as ever. It's also a striking read when you realize this was written several years before American involvement in Vietnam really exploded into the terrible conflagration of the 60's and early 70's.
The story focuses on a love triangle but the larger message is expansive beyond personal relationships. It is a tragedy on both the micro and macro levels. Greene's prose really draws you into the depth of feeling he had for southeast Asia. Knowing what would happen in the next decade just adds to the tragic overtones. A very enjoyable read.
