The Heart of the Matter

Posted on 12 October 2017 by Graham Greene

In a British colony in West Africa, Henry Scobie is a pious and righteous man of modest means enlisted with securing borders But when he s passed over for a promotion as commissioner of police, the humiliation hits hardest for his wife, Louise Already oppressed by the appalling climate, frustrated in a loveless marriage, and belittled by the wives of privileged officers, Louise wants out Feeling responsible for her unhappiness, Henry decides against his better judgment to accept a loan from a black marketeer to secure Louise s passage It s just a single indiscretion, yet for Henry it precipitates a rapid fall from grace as one moral compromise after another leads him into a web of blackmail, adultery, and murder And for a devout man like Henry, there may be nothing left but damnation. Free Read [ The Heart of the Matter ] Author [ Graham Greene ] For Kindle ePUB or eBook – kino-fada.fr I remember a striking image from a previous novel of Graham Greene, of vultures settling to roost on the iron rooftops of a nowhere town in a third world country it s the introduction to The Power and the Glory When I came across an identical image in the first pages of the present novel, I knew I was letting myself in for another traumatic ride through the maze of a fallible human mind, I knew I would struggle with depression and moral ambivalence and with a loss of faith, yet I was also a I remember a striking image from a previous novel of Graham Greene, of vultures settling to roost on the iron rooftops of a nowhere town in a third world country it s the introduction to The Power and the Glory When I came across an identical image in the first pages of the present novel, I knew I was letting myself in for another traumatic ride through the maze of a fallible human mind, I knew I would struggle with depression and moral ambivalence and with a loss of faith, yet I was also aware that the novel will hold me in its thrall until the last page, like compulsively watching the grief and destruction left behind by a trainwreck or by a suicide bombing He felt almost intolerably lonely On either side of the school the tin roofs sloped towards the sea, and the corrugate...Book Circle Reads 35Rating 4 of fiveThe Publisher Says Graham Greene s masterpiece The Heart of the Matter tells the story of a good man enmeshed in love, intrigue, and evil in a West African coastal town Scobie is bound by strict integrity to his role as assistant police commissioner and by severe responsibility to his wife, Louise, for whom he cares with a fatal pity.When Scobie falls in love with the young widow Helen, he finds vital passion again yielding to pity, integrity giving way to Book Circle Reads 35Rating 4 of fiveThe Publisher Says Graham Greene s masterpiece The Heart of the Matter tells the story of a good man enmeshed in love, intrigue, and evil in a West African coastal town Scobie is bound by strict integrity to his role as assistant police commissioner and by severe responsibility to his wife, Louise, for whom he cares with a fatal pity.When Scobie falls in love with the young widow Helen, he finds vital passion again yielding to pity, integrity giving way to deceit and di...Graham Greene s powerful story of morality, integrity, love, betrayal, intrigue, corruption, life changing events and Catholic guilt set in war time Sierra Leone.This is a great book and only the second Graham Greene that I have read Brighton Rock being the other The Heart of the Matter is a powerful, thought provoking and deeply profound novel that works on many different levels It has at its centre the story of a Scobie a man of integrity and honesty, a deeply principled police officer a Graham Greene s powerful story of morality, integrity, love, betrayal, intrigue, corrup...THE FIRST FACETIOUS REVIEW BASED MAINLY ON FRANKIE VALLI AND SUPREMES SINGLES Spoilers ahoy but we re all friends aren t we As our tale opens, Major Henry Scobie is stuck in a you never close your eyes any when you kiss my lips type situation with Mrs Major Henry Scobie aka Louise and there s a big thought bubble coming out of both their heads which says Where did our love go Well, after 15 years, what do you expect darlin Then this new character strolls in called Wilson and he cl THE FIRST FACETIOUS REVIEW BASED MAINLY ON FRANKIE VALLI AND SUPREMES SINGLES Spoilers ahoy but we re all friends aren t we As our tale opens, Major Henry Scobie is stuck in a you never close your eyes any when you kiss my lips type situation with Mrs Major Henry Scobie aka Louise and there s a big thought bubble coming out of both their heads which says Where did our love go Well, after 15 years, what do you expect darlin Then this new character strolls in called Wilson and he clocks Louise and he s all there she was just a walkin down the African colony singin doo wah diddy diddy she looked good she looked fine and I nearly lost my mind and before you can say another pink gin dahling he s telling her Mrs Major Scobie, my world is empty without you and she s now then Wilson, you cahn t hurry lohve, no, you just got to wait Dahling. So she decides she wants to visit South Af...This book is a classic colonial novel We are immediately immersed in the British colonial tropics an unnamed British colony in West Africa during World War II Cockroaches, rats and diseases abound The British colony shares a border with a Vichy French German allied colonial country so there is much intrigue about industrial diamond smuggling and the sinking of ships off the coast This capital city is a melting pot with Africans and British of course and the n word is frequently tossed This book is a classic colonial novel We are immediately immersed in the British colonial tropics an unnamed British colony in West Africa during World War II Cockroaches, rats and diseases abound The British colony shares a border with a Vichy French German allied colonial country so there is much intrigue about industrial diamond smuggling and the sinking of ships off the coast This capital city is a melting pot with Africans and British of course and the n word is frequently tossed around by the latter over gin , Germans, and Syrian merchants, some of whom are Muslim and some Catholic.Our protagonist is the chief of police A man devoted to duty, he manages to create a totally loveless, duty bound relationship with both his wife and mistress He grows to dread spending time with either one We watch his...Four stars, because of the quality of the writing But I am going to disagree with the label that goes with it, that of really liked it Because I did not I feel no affection for this book, and I doubt that I will ever re read it for many reasons that I will state below But for those just reading this to get a quick glance about whether they should read it or not you should, in short It is worth it I just would not expect to fall in love.The book focuses on Major Scobie, a policeman in a Four stars, because of the quality of the writing But I am going to disagree with the label that goes with it, that of really liked it Because I did not I feel no affection for this book, and I doubt that I will ever re read it for many reasons that I will state below But for those just reading this to get a quick glance about whether they should read it or not you should, in short It is worth it I just would not expect to fall in love.The book focuses on Major Scobie, a policeman in a British colony of West Africa, where Greene himself spent some time It ...I know exactly why I love Graham Greene novels and this, The Heart of the Matter, is a shining example of Greene at his best It is vintage Greene, containing all his themes and strengths No, it s not my favorite from him but from I ve read thus far, it is the best example of all he s capable of it is the novel I recommend you try if you want to find out if he s for you For one, this has the classic Greene love struggles men and women caught up in that irresistible, uncontrollable force I know exactly why I love Graham Greene novels and this, The Heart of the Matter, is a shining example of Greene at his best It is vintage Greene, containing all his themes and strengths No, it s not my favorite from him but from I ve read thus far, it is the best example of all he s capable of it is the novel I recommend you try if you want to find out if he s for you For one, this has the classic Greene love struggles men and women caught up in that irre... Introduction, by James Wood The Heart of the MatterWhile Graham Greene tends to be a little wordy for me, I did enjoy this book muchthan The Quiet American I was slightly disappointed though that when the story began speaking of suicide, I knew immediately how the book would end Four stars. The Heart of the Matter, although considered by many one of the best novels ever written, is thought by others a depressing, unhappy story Certainly, the characters in Greene s book bump and bang into each other, literally bumping off themselves and those in their way, for what they believe is love.Of course, it is about love Real love Not Romance, nor what most peopl...

English
12 October 2017

Graham Greene