The Confidential Agent

The Confidential Agent by Graham Greene
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the Introduction to the book Graham Greene mentions, that he wrote it only for money while his main project at this time was The Power and the Glory.
To increase productivity he wrote the book in rented flat and under influence of Benzedrine.
The effect was obvious, he managed to write 2,000 words a day while his normal output was 500 words. Benzedrine took its toll. Late afternoon he returned home feeling very tired and smallest thing could upset him. He feels that in long term it was a main factor in his marriage breakdown.
But then, a next day came, he took a morning pill, sat in front of the blank page and the words started flowing on the paper.
The final effect? Graham Greene was so disappointed with the book, that his first idea was to publish it under different name.
My judgement is quite opposite, I prefer The Confidential Agent over The Power and the Glory.
The book was written in 1939, aftermath of the Spanish civil war. Graham Greene mentions, that the Munich Agreement of 1937 was also affecting his thoughts.
The book - Mr D. an agent of a revolutionary government of the country in the state of civil war comes to England to buy coal, which is essential to his government survival. From the very start he is plagued with innumerable misfortunes, troubles and oppression. Some imaginary, some real.
He reaches London where he meets his local contact and realizes, that nobody trusts him and that he cannot trust even people nominally representing his government.
Finally he arrives at the meeting with coal mines board of directors, negotiates a feasible deal and then discovers, that somehow his credentials disappeared, have been stolen. The contract is taken over by anti-government opposition.
This is too much, he converts into a hunter thirsty for blood of his oppressors. His hunt turns into a comedy of errors. He resigns and resorts to the last resort - meet coal miners' trade union and appeal to their solidarity with working class of his country.
The result is predictable.
And then, when everything failed, he is miraculously rescued.
I think, that the effects of Benzedrine are obvious - enormous density of actions and counteractions and the miraculous ending. On the other hand I liked the book, main reason was the main character fighting and ready for an ultimate sacrifice for a cause which is alien to him.

View all my reviews

Stamboul Train

Stamboul Train by Graham Greene
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I am glad that G. Greene first books I read were The Heart of the Matter and Our Man in Havana. If I had started with Stamboul Train, there is a chance I wouldn't finish the book and did not look for other books by this author.
My very first impression was that most of the characters in the book did not look realistic to me. Actually only Miss Warren, a very dynamic journalist, looked to me as a person with blood and bones.
Second strong impression and surprise was emphasis of Jewishness of one of the main characters.
In many reviews of this book I found comments about antisemitism of the author.
I do not share this opinion, actually my opinion is opposite.
Firstly it is gentiles who somehow recognize that Mr Myat is Jewish and it sends a signal , that this person should pay extra tips and charges.
Secondly, Mr Myat is shown as a generous person, somehow accepting, that he has to pay more.
In my opinion it shows the rising of antisemitism in Europe of 1932.
I wonder what was the aim of G. Greene? Was antisemitism so obvious in Europe, that he felt obliged to address this issue?
The story. I have to admit, that due to my disappointment with all the characters in the book I was not very interested with the plot. It was my loyalty to the author whom I rate very high, that I read the book to the last page. And then, retrospectively, I thought that it was quite well designed plot with typical "Greenesque" twists of motives and actions of main characters.

View all my reviews