books

I loved Travels with my Aunt by Graham Greene..so much fun. Does he have another funny novel?

Bettyjo-here is a list of the comedies from Amazon thru Add Books. The only one I have read is the novel Monsignor Quixote, and I'm not sure it was really very funny. I read it a long time ago.
I think the others are plays but I'm not sure.


The Complaisant Lover A Comedy by Graham Greene (Viking, 1961), hardcover
Publisher: Viking

Publication date: 1961

May We Borrow Your Husband? And Other Comedies of the Sexual Life by Graham Greene (NY: The Viking Press, 1966, 1966), hardcover
Publisher: NY: The Viking Press, 1966

Publication date: 1966

Return of A.J. Raffles: An Edwardian Comedy in 3 Acts Based Somewhat Loosely on E.W. Hornungs Characters in the Amateur Cracksman by Graham Greene (Ultramarine Pub Co, 1975), hardcover

I'm glad we have this group!. Miriam

So am I! I also love Travels With My Aunt. Monsignor Quixote was less amusing for me, though I appreciated the recasting of parts of Don Quixote I was familiar with. The feel was quite different, and the disillusion a different shade... For the rest: I've read one story from May We Borrow Your Husband? And Other Comedies of the Sexual Life, excerpted in The Portable Graham Greene - it was wry rather than funny, but excellent, fruit of a talent long burnished. This probably a far closer fit for Travels With My Aunt. On my list to get.

As a dual E.W. Hornung and Graham Greene fan, I'm intrigued by The Return of A.J. Raffles, and will have to look for it!

To me Greene is a hit and miss writer. There are several however that are excellent among which are The quiet american, Our man in Havana- which may be his funniest work, The end of the affair, Brighton rock, The heart of the matter and The power and the glory which with the exception of the end of the affair are all set in countries other than his native England.

There is almost a continuing juggling act in his fiction between his fervent catholicism and his socialism/marxism. Many of his novels might be described in some form or another as socio-political liberation theology.

He does have a few clunkers though which are best avoided.

I think Our Man in Havana is one of the funniest books ever written, as is Travels with my Aunt. There is a dark, philosophical edge to all his writing that I rather like: when he's describing corruption in Latin America it's almost like being there. Greene's got a fresh style of writing that I find irresistible.

I recently read The Ministry of Fear and The Comedians and was impressed by both; very gripping plots, really credible characters and wonderful writing. Neither was classically comedic, although The Ministry of Fear had some very amusing incidents that did make me laugh. The Comedians is moving and well worth reading, more wry than funny.

Our Man in Havana was hilarious I thought.

By the way, Iriley, Brighton Rock is set in Brighton, England.

In fact, Our Man in Havana is my favourite book by Greene.

That's true. How did I miss that?

It is not a comedy, but no one has mentioned The burnt-out case.

Since no one has mentioned Scoop yet, I'll chime in that I found it a hoot of a farce!

After looking at this thread yesterday, I pulled out The Human Factor last night, and started it.

Seajack - Scoop is not written by Graham Greene but rather by Evelyn Waugh.

However, Evelyn Waugh is also a fabulous English writer and Scoop is a great book - highly recommended.

Which are Graham Greene's clunkers?

I've only read two by him, The Quiet American, which was great (and amazingly the movie was pretty good too) and also The Power and the Glory. I enjoyed Power and the Glory but not as much as the other one. I guess I will have to check out Our Man in Havana

Looks like this group is dormant. If anybody wants to talk about Graham Greene, I am interested in getting involved. I read virtually all of his books about 30 to 25 years ago just shortly after finishing high school. We had a really good English teacher in Grade 12 who introduced the class to authors whom I had never heard of before, including Graham Greene and Joseph Conrad, who both ended up being some of my all-time favourite authors.
I still have all of my orange Penguins bought in the early 1980s. And I am going to start reading through all of them again. As I do so, I will post reviews, but also check this group and see if it gets any interest, and new inputs from other members.

Graham Greene is my favorite author. I feel guilty telling you about another site, but over on Goodreads, there's a pretty active Graham Greene group.