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Our Man in Havana Audiobook
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(3.00) - 8,167 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
MI6's man in Havana is Wormold, a former vacuum-cleaner salesman turned reluctant secret agent out of economic necessity. To keep his job, he files bogus reports based on Charles Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare and dreams up military installations from vacuum-cleaner designs. Then his stories start coming disturbingly true . . .
First published in 1959 against the backdrop of the Cold War, Our Man in Havana remains one of Graham Greene's most widely enjoyed novels. It is an espionage thriller, a penetrating character study, and a political satire of government intelligence that still resonates today.
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"I never got really emotionally invested in this book; I did, however, think it was an amazing amount of intellectual ideas packed into just aout 200 pages. And very subtly, at that, because you think you're just reading a kind of funny little romp of a book, and then you realize there is much more at play, both on an individual and societal level. So I would highly suggest this book, though I will never be able to say I loved it. I do think, though, that it is one I will remember for a long time."
— Claire (4 out of 5 stars)
Our Man in Havana Listener Reviews
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" I had trouble getting into this book at first. Much of it is conversation driven, and it's the type of witty banter that was common in Katheryn Hepburn or Carey Grant movies that came out in the 1950s. It's entertaining to watch but a bit annoying to read (at least for me). As the book grew darker, I enjoyed it more, however, and ultimately was glad I'd read it. "
— Miss, 2/7/2014 -
" I liked this a lot. It just what you want from Graham Greene - a book that you actively want to keep reading, and that features a main character that you can empathise with, full of humour and (sometimes just about) believable characters). Worth a go, like everything I have read of his. "
— Peter, 2/1/2014 -
" Quick read, fantastic book. "
— Joey, 1/14/2014 -
" An amusing, quick read. I can totally see this as a movie. "
— Meghann, 12/31/2013 -
" Wish I could give this 3.5 stars. Very funny, and interesting look at pre-cold-war Havana. "
— Patrick, 12/20/2013 -
" A precursor to Le Carre's Tailor of Panama and more intriguing. "
— Kim, 11/27/2013 -
" If you haven't read Graham Greene, this is a great book to start with. Smart, clever, dry and oh-so British. "
— Kevin, 11/18/2013 -
" Charming and fun to read. "
— Myrivername, 5/24/2013 -
" Almost missed a train in Zagreb as I didn't want to leave the cafe until I'd finished a chapter in this book. Loved it! "
— Julie, 5/17/2013 -
" Easy light-reading book for those that like British humor. Got exciting after Part 3 though the ending left something to be desired. We used this as a Book Club book and it gave plenty to discuss in the colorful characters and speculation on where the plot would turn. "
— Shawn, 5/2/2013 -
" a nice, enjoyable dark comedy "
— Patty, 4/17/2013 -
" Fun little thriller. "
— Austin, 4/5/2013 -
" Very funny book. And probably not so ridiculous. "
— Williammccolgan, 1/20/2013 -
" Incredibly fun farce about the politics of spying in the 1950s. "
— M.k., 1/14/2013 -
" Another great one from Graham Greene. Apparently I really enjoy reading his books--or at least the ones that probably fall under his "entertainments" categorization. This one is darkly funny, without much of the Catholic pathos that is so omnipresent in his work. "
— Greg, 4/11/2012 -
" I really wish I had discovered Graham Greene a long time ago. "
— John, 3/11/2012 -
" Greene was trying too hard to be clever. "
— Tom, 10/7/2011 -
" A funny, quick read about a vacuum-salesman that gets caught up in the international spy business in order to make a few bucks. It is an interesting look at how fictions are created and can eventually become real - whether it is in life, love, or foreign relations. "
— Joseph, 8/15/2011 -
" The shifting between comedic and serious tones is far too abrupt. "
— Aaron, 7/14/2011 -
" I enjoyed this a lot. The humour was subtle, evoking more of the ridiculous than the absurd (those that know me will know I have a keen sense of the absurd). Ridiculous and yet believable. Good characters and a good plot, easy to read and satisfying. "
— Matt, 6/10/2011 -
" The book is funny, sweet and about love as a form of patriotism. Plus, I find Graham Greene to be a dependable read. Even the books I don't like as much. "
— Marnie, 5/22/2011 -
" My favourite Greene so far, both hilarious and very scary. "
— Danielroffle, 5/20/2011 -
" Another great one from Graham Greene. Apparently I really enjoy reading his books--or at least the ones that probably fall under his "entertainments" categorization. This one is darkly funny, without much of the Catholic pathos that is so omnipresent in his work. "
— Greg, 4/24/2011 -
" Not quite farce, not quite suspense novel, but some of both and he takes it places I didn't imagine. I dug it. "
— Prawlins, 4/3/2011 -
" Different from most Graham Greene books I've read in that it was actually pretty amusing.<br/> "
— Lois, 4/1/2011 -
" I wanted to read this again after recently finishing the book about Che and Fidel. "
— David, 3/23/2011 -
" This book is a total hoot! Highly recommended. "
— Gerald, 3/14/2011 -
" Kind of a silly book in that it is sort of whimsical in nature. But in the end it has a bit of intrigue and is a bit of a real spy novel in very loose terms. Worth a read. "
— Joe, 3/9/2011 -
" Absurdly entertaining political satire. Set in pre-socialist Cuba, when the world swelled with secret agents, Greene juxtaposes the ridiculous with the real as a vacuum cleaner salesman supplements his income with fabricated reports of suspicious subversive activity couriered back to London. "
— Darlene, 3/1/2011 -
" I thought this book was HILARIOUS! Doesn't breed much faith in our intelligence systems, but the idea of stumbling into espionage is enchanting! Loved it. "
— Rachel, 2/26/2011 -
" Must have read this book at least 4 times. Better each time. Might actually be time to read it again... "
— Jon, 2/14/2011 -
" Based on the description I thought I would like the book more. "
— Stephanie, 2/12/2011
About Graham Greene
Graham Greene (1904–1991) was an English novelist, short-story writer, and playwright. He served with the British secret service during the Second World War. His novels are often set in places in a state of seedy decay, and many of his locations, such as Vietnam in The Quiet American and Cuba in Our Man in Havana, became international crisis spots. Most of his novels have been filmed, including The Third Man, which the author first wrote as a film treatment. He was named Companion of Honour and received the Order of Merit, among numerous other awards.
About Matthew Lloyd Davies
Matthew Lloyd Davies is a veteran actor, director, and Audie Award–winning audiobook narrator. Highlights of his acting career include regular appearances with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal National Theatre in the West End, on international tours, and in award-winning television shows and films. He has experience in radio, a master’s degree in directing, and extensive experience in presenting at corporate events.