Rating: 
Summary: An intriguing piece
Review: (This review refers to the Viking Critical Library edition, edited by John Clark Pratt)Graham Greene's novel of Pyle, the "quiet American", employed by a barely-disguised fronting organisation of the CIA, narrated by Fowler, a British journalist who comes across by turns as weary and worldly, is immensely interesting. In it, Greene offers up perhaps his most incisive and insightful political commentary, treating the danger of allowing people guided solely by ideology and schools of academic thought to be responsible for intelligence fieldwork. Pyle, a graduate of Harvard, goes into Indochina, believing intensely in the necessity of enabling a "third column", General The's men, and employing them as an American proxy force. Whether or not Pyle himself sees the implicit incompatibility of this abstract idea and reality is never quite clear: certainly Pyle plays witness to the destruction that his attempts to mobilise a third column bring about. He is not subject, though, to the gross revulsion at the wanton destruction of life that Fowler is. Equally certainly, Pyle's political views cost him his life: open to question, still, is whether or not Pyle himself was ever conscious of his fallacies, or if he remains blinded throughout. Rather than being a novel of a man's moral revelations, or telling of his relationship with the Divine, "The Quiet American" is far more a parable. Greene's structure, his combined simplicity and complexity, and the thematic relevance of this novel, render it a deserving read. Additionally, the chronologies and commentaries upon foreign involvement in Indochina/Vietnam are both valuable and blessedly concise, and the collected reviews and critcal commentaries upon the novel serve as valuable tool for understanding.
Rating:
Summary: An intriguing piece
Review: (This review refers to the Viking Critical Library edition, edited by John Clark Pratt) Graham Greene's novel of Pyle, the "quiet American", employed by a barely-disguised fronting organisation of the CIA, narrated by Fowler, a British journalist who comes across by turns as weary and worldly, is immensely interesting. In it, Greene offers up perhaps his most incisive and insightful political commentary, treating the danger of allowing people guided solely by ideology and schools of academic thought to be responsible for intelligence fieldwork. Pyle, a graduate of Harvard, goes into Indochina, believing intensely in the necessity of enabling a "third column", General The's men, and employing them as an American proxy force. Whether or not Pyle himself sees the implicit incompatibility of this abstract idea and reality is never quite clear: certainly Pyle plays witness to the destruction that his attempts to mobilise a third column bring about. He is not subject, though, to the gross revulsion at the wanton destruction of life that Fowler is. Equally certainly, Pyle's political views cost him his life: open to question, still, is whether or not Pyle himself was ever conscious of his fallacies, or if he remains blinded throughout. Rather than being a novel of a man's moral revelations, or telling of his relationship with the Divine, "The Quiet American" is far more a parable. Greene's structure, his combined simplicity and complexity, and the thematic relevance of this novel, render it a deserving read. Additionally, the chronologies and commentaries upon foreign involvement in Indochina/Vietnam are both valuable and blessedly concise, and the collected reviews and critcal commentaries upon the novel serve as valuable tool for understanding.
Rating:
Summary: Required Reading
Review: Anyone who wants to understand the story of how Lansdale changed the anti - American book into an anti-Communist movie "betrayal" (as Greene said when the first "QA" was released) should read this book. A tale of propaganda and selling war. Also see "A Thinkers Damn" by Russo about the production in VN. However Russo doesn't mention Lansdale - why not? A continuing cover up? Why is the movie not available on Amazon USA? Yet available on Amazon UK?
Rating:
Summary: Required Reading
Review: Anyone who wants to understand the story of how Lansdale changed the anti - American book into an anti-Communist movie "betrayal" (as Greene said when the first "QA" was released) should read this book. A tale of propaganda and selling war. Also see "A Thinkers Damn" by Russo about the production in VN. However Russo doesn't mention Lansdale - why not? A continuing cover up? Why is the movie not available on Amazon USA? Yet available on Amazon UK?
Rating:
Summary: A thoughtful, impressive, disturbing novel.
Review: Graham Greene spent four springs of his life as a journalist in Indochina and this fine, intelligent novel is an account of his experiences there. It's also a disturbing prophecy of the awful mess that was to be American involvement in Vietnam. It's also a study of friendship and betrayal, of youthful American idealism and mature British jadedness,of indifference and commitment. It is written in spare, elegant prose and the gaunt style has a journalistic immediacy that perfectly fits the subject and the characters without diminishing the emotional complexity.It is a major novel by one of the century's major writers and it hasn't dated; on the contrary,it has a disturbing contemporary feel.
Rating: 
Summary: Favorable
Review: Graham Greene's masterpiece, the Quiet American provides and interesting perspective upon Vietnam during the decline of the French presence in Indochina. The characters are well presented and the plot in which they exist is dynamic and easily holds one's attention throughout the book's short length. The Quiet American is an exiting, tumultuous, and provocative look into the turmoil and chaos that was Vietam
Rating:
Summary: The Pitfalls of Idealism
Review: Greene's The Quiet American is powerful and moving and anyone who desires to better understand the mindset of American policymakers at the outset of the United States' deepened involvement in Indochina. Greene writes with the candor and insight of a seasoned overseas correspondant and shows the ideals and idealism that propelled Vietnamese and American interests to tragically clash. Greene portrays the characters in the novel in a manner in which they are complex and very real and not soundbytes and stereotypes that confront us in other books and in the current news media. A valuable bonus of the Viking Critical Library edition are the essays at the end of the book that provide additional detail to Greene's story. In addition to reviews of the book in the context of US diplomacy, espionage and counterinsurgency, of particular worth is the brief history of American military involvement in the late 1950s/early 1960s in Indochina by Frank Futrell, former Historian of the Air Force. Futrell is knowledgeable and a prolific yet very readable writer, and his 14-page essay at the end of the book serves as a stark epilogue to the novel.
Rating:
Summary: im new
Review: I need help doing a research paper on Graham Green
Rating:
Summary: A note from the editor
Review: I was extremely fortunate last week to meet Michael Caine, the star of Miramax's new movie of The Quiet American. Much to my surprise and delight, Sir Michael told me that he had found my edition "invaluable" during the filming. He had other nice comments as well about the background material and letters. The film has received some very good reviews at pre-screenings and will be in theatres in early February, 2003.
Rating:
Summary: Some Politicians Should Have Read this book Years ago!
Review: In preparing for my summer trip to Vietnam a number of people suggested reading The Quiet American. The story also caught my interest when I heard film crews are currently in Vietnam shooting a remake of the film. A remake which will hopefully be more loyal to the book and its message unlike the earlier version. Talk about foreshadowing. Greene writes and makes a strong case against American involvement in Vietnam. And he makes this case back in the 1950's towards the end of French involvement in Indochina. The book is well written and easy to read. The story is not dated at all. I only wish President Kennedy and LBJ and their advisors had looked at this book... the books message was all too true. The Viking critical edition comes with some awesome extra stuff including works about and by Greene, great primary sources on Vietnam, and some great background info. As a movie buff, I enjoyed some of the writings that compared the book and the movie. This is a book that deserves the title of classic.
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