Graham Greene

Introduction

If “Catholic Espionage” were a literary genre, Graham Greene would likely be the poster boy for it. Both his deep religious convictions and his penchant for international intrigue manifest themselves in his writing. In his novel The End of the Affair, a romance is doomed due to a very Catholic promise made to God in prayer. Conversely, The Quiet American typifies the weary disillusionment that permeated many of his spy stories. In addition to his short fiction and novels, Greene also wrote poetry (though largely unsuccessful) and the screenplay for the silver-screen classic The Third Man. With a terse and economic writing style, Greene captured in very real detail the internal angst that tormented so many of his generation.

Essential Facts

1. Despite his later literary career, the primary focus of Greene’s studies as an undergraduate was history.
2. Along with his fiction, Greene wrote journalistic articles and reviews throughout his early career.
3. Greene was reprimanded by the Catholic Church for his novel The Power and the Glory and pressured to change its content. Even after an audience with the Pope, Greene remained resolute and did not change the book.
4. Greene’s fruitful life and prodigious output have been documented in no less than three full-length memoirs by biographer Norman Sherry.
5. Public acclaim came easy to Greene, but his private life was a different matter. The author suffered from bipolar disorder throughout his life.