With a new introduction by James Wood Scobie, a police officer serving in a wartime west-African state, is distrusted -- being scrupulously honest and immune to bribery. But then he falls in love, and in so doing, he is forced to betray everything he believes in, with drastic and tragic consequences.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Excellent:
Greene is an intimidatingly good writer. A lot of the truly classic authors carry with them a certain mystique, arriving with all their major plot details spoiled, a fancy edition with an introduction by someone else. Not that all such literary classics are great, or even good (see the next review) but this type of reputation more often than not indicates a strong accomplishment. Greene is an author of that stature, but I first encountered him as a more casual, as if less celebrated author, and to an extent... more info
Great novel, buy another edition:
I am not going to say much more about this great novel, as there are plenty of good reviews.
My only problem is with this edition with a preface & comment by James Woods. I don't care much about his literary criticism but he gives away the end of the novel which basically spoiled it for me. If you buy this edition skip it and read it after you finished the novel.
Truly the Heart....:
What is the "heart of the matter"? For me, Graham Greene ranks with Faulkner and Conrad in his unsparingly honest, yet empathetic insight into the human heart. And, not that of great men, but of ordinary people who try hard to stay right, not always succeeding, but often failing nobly. The Heart of the Matter is to me Greene's most vivid and memorable foray into this terra incognita. Scobie is noble, flawed and fully realized. The so-called "invented" world through which he walks is so richly atmospheric... more info
Truly the Heart....:
What is the "heart of the matter"? For me, Graham Greene ranks with Faulkner and Conrad in his unsparingly honest, yet empathetic insight into the human heart. And, not that of great men, but of ordinary people who try hard to stay right, not always succeeding, but often failing nobly. The Heart of the Matter is to me Greene's most vivid and memorable foray into this terra incognita. Scobie is noble, flawed and fully realized. The so-called "invented" world through which he walks is so richly atmospheric... more info
