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The Heart of the Matter

The Heart of the Matter

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY JAMES WOOD

Scobie, a police officer serving in a war-time West African state, is distrusted, being scrupulously honest and immune to bribery. But then he falls in love, and in doing so he is forced to betray everything he believes in, with drastic and tragic consequences.

Reviews

  • Primarily a novel about the moral consequences of religious belief, but it is almost as importantly a novel about colonialism

    Independent

  • The most ingenious, inventive and exciting of our novelists, rich in exactly etched and moving portraits of real human beings

    The Times

  • Here is this man who can represent ordinary life, ordinary troubles, and make them exciting to read about

    Guardian

  • "A superb storyteller with a gift for provoking controversy"

    New York Times

  • "Greene had the sharpest eyes for trouble, the finest nose for human weaknesses, and was pitilessly honest in his observations... For experience of a whole century he was the man within"

    Independent

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About the Author

Graham Greene

Graham Greene was born in 1904. He worked as a journalist and critic, and in 1940 became literary editor of the Spectator. He was later employed by the Foreign Office. As well as his many novels, Graham Greene wrote several collections of short stories, four travel books, six plays, three books of autobiography, two of biography and four books for children. He also wrote hundreds of essays, and film and book reviews. Graham Greene was a member of the Order of Merit and a Companion of Honour. He died in April 1991.

Graham Greene

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Where to start with Graham Greene's books

Graham Greene worked in espionage for MI6, travelled the world and somehow found time to become one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. With 24 novels, short stories, poetry and two autobiographies under his belt, here's our list of his best books to start with.
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Extracts

Brighton Rock by Graham Greene

A gang war is raging through the dark underworld of Brighton. 17-year-old Pinkie, malign and ruthless, has killed a man. Read an extract of Graham Greene's gripping thriller below

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