Tuesday 28 June 2016

Tuesday Intros. Graham Greene

Today Diane is hosting Tuesday Intros and my contribution is a book that I found on the hotel bookshelves.
We take our own selection of books away with us when we go on holiday, backed up with more reading material on kindle, but it's always interesting to look at the hotel library section and see what is on offer. The English selection is usually very thin, with far more books available in German or French. On our recent holiday I found a crumpled biography of Graham Greene which I was interested to read because I admire his work. But, oh, dear me, what an absolutely horrid man! I think the cover portrait is clever because it shows half his face in darkness and this accurately depicts his truly dark personality.
Here is the opening page.
 
The biography has made me want to go back and reread some of his novels. However, a production of his book, 'The Power and the Glory' has been on the radio for the last two Sundays and I found that my lately acquired knowledge of the author really got in the way of the story. A case of too much information?!

19 comments:

  1. I so rarely read biographies. I don't know if I would read this one, but I hope you enjoy it!

    I don't know too much about Greene, but I do that there are times it is hard to separate an author from his books once I know more about the author. It really depends on what it is I know. LOL

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    1. Yes, you're right, dear Feline, I think that's going to be my difficulty with Greene's novels from now on.

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  2. I love biography! I don't know much about Green at all. And I wonder if I've read any of his work.

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    1. I think if you read the biography first you may never get round to the novels!

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  3. I've read a couple of his novels, but don't know a thing about the man. Good find!

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    1. I'm now wishing that I didn't know quite so much about him!

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  4. I am now very curious....thanks for sharing. Here's mine: “FLIGHT PATTERNS”

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    1. Couldn't find a place to post a comment on your blog, Laurel - my computer skills are minimal!

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  5. I don't know about this - like you said too much information might ruin books I enjoy reading. One to ponder.

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    1. I think it will be hard to remove him from the story he is telling from now on. He write brilliantly about flawed people. Now I know why!

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  6. I do like a good biography now and then and, I do want to read more by this author as well.

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    1. I would be inclined to read several of his novels before coming to the biography. I like the humour of 'Our Man in Havana' and the dark and beautifully structured, 'The Quiet American'. Both have been made into good films.

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  7. I like biographies, but don't think this one is for me.

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  8. I haven't read too many biographies. I'm glad you found this one interesting. Girl Who Reads

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  9. I would have read one page and put it down. Life is too short to read about miserable, horrid people

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    1. If I hadn't previously read and admired of his novels then I certainly would agree with you, but I do admire his writing and was therefore interested to find out more about him. As described in this book I found him to be so thoroughly unpleasant that I think it may skew my responses to any further reading of his work.

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  10. This is not a book for me. I am glad you are exploring your own creative interests, though. Happy reading!

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