Relevant and thought provoking
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Incredibly relevant in today's debates about liberal interventionism. It's amazing how little we have moved on since the 50s. Is it possible to intervene in another culture to solve their problems? Are we often the cause of their problems? Is doing nothing a form of intervention? I don't know the answers to these questions and I don't think Greene did either.
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Another piece of modern history
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Despite the death and destruction depicted in this book, like the character of the title, this was a "quiet book". It was good to read about Vietnam before the Americans went in and I'm sure many have no idea of the French involvement in that country's history. Another enjoyable group read.
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Short but perfectly formed
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'The Quiet American' is a fairly short, but perfectly formed, novel. Set in the Vietnam war, the narrator is Fowler, a cynical British journalist who forms an unlikely friendship with an idealistic young American called Pyle. Fowler is a good central character, very believable and multi-faceted, and I grew to like him. The supporting characters - from the Vietnamese girl the two men fight over to the boozy American journalist Granger - are also well drawn and realistic.
The writing style is clean and economical, with good use of descriptive touches which paint a much more vivid picture than long winded or flowery prose. Greene is equally good at describing emotions: fear, anguish and tragedy. He manages to address serious political issues without being dull or detracting from the plot, and without offering easy answers.
As someone who knows very little about the Vietnam war and the politics surrounding it, I was at something of a disadvantage and I would recommend a quick reading of the historical background (an encyclopaedia entry would have done) for anyone else with little knowledge of this historical period. At times the early story was a little hard to follow, and that is probably due to my lack of previous knowledge. I think Greene presumes that the reader will have at least some idea of the main issues and factions in the war, so it is worth gaining this in order to better appreciate the story.
The plot is well paced, interesting and plausible. The political debates and emotional turmoils of the characters are perfectly balanced by action and dialogue. The story moves back and forward in time, and this is well handled so that it does not become confusing or annoying.
On the whole, a good read and a book that I think would be enjoyed by most readers.
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Perfect, just perfect
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A quick note. This is one of the most perfectly written and complete stories I have ever read. It is full of thought provoking characters and behaviours finding both beauty, love and pain in a dark world they cannot control. The book crosses political idealism with cynicsm and selfishness, and although set in a historical backdrop these themes are as relevent today. Just perfect.
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Faultless
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Along with Waugh's "Decline & Fall" I read this book every year & never fail to get something new from it. Not one word is out of place, not one scene mis-judged. Greene's characters inhabit a world unfamiliar to all 21st century Western wage-slaves; a world of physical danger, intellectual doubts & moral crises. But yet their paranoias & motives render every one of them as believable as ourselves & make their world as real as our own. The hero of this book in particular fills us with the uncomfortable realisation that even despicable acts born of unashamed selfishness can sometimes not only strike a chord within ourselves, but make us favour the perpetrators of such behaviour over other more innocent players. If you find nothing in this book for you stop reading.
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