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The Quiet American Audiobook
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(3.00) - 16,538 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Alden Pyle, an idealistic young American, is sent to Vietnam to promote democracy amidst the intrigue and violence of the French war with the Vietminh. His friend Fowler, a cynical foreign correspondent, looks on but soon finds it difficult to remain simply an observer. Fowler’s mistress, a beautiful native girl, creates a catalyst for jealousy and competition between the men and a cultural clash resulting in bloodshed and deep misgivings.
Written in 1955 prior to the Vietnam conflict, The Quiet American foreshadows the events leading up to the war. Questions surrounding the moral ambiguity of the involvement of the United States in foreign countries are as relevant today as they were fifty years ago.
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"Background: I've re-read The Quiet American to get in touch again with the Greenesque touch before starting The End of the Affair. The Quiet American is as difficult to categorize as it was easy to read. Apparently, the book is about Mr. Fowler, the morally corrupt British reporter who will recount us the story, and Pyle, the American under-cover agent that everyone knows to be an under-cover agent; the two are involved in the French-Vietnamese war and in the personal war of getting the same Vietnamese girl. In its elusive depth, this book includes three story lines, the mystery of Pyle's murder, the psychological insights on Mr. Fowler, and the reportage on a war that involves the civilians. Each of these story lines is delicately built and presented; a description of each story line is beyond the purpose of this review. For me, the main appeal of Graham Greene comes not from his undeniably wonderful phrasing ("The hurt is in the act of possession: we are too small in mind and body to possess another person without pride or to be possessed without humiliation."), good humor ("I never like giving information to the police. It saves them trouble."), and skillful misenscene. Instead, it is his articulation of the characters that draws me: Mr. Greene thinks and speaks like Fowler, and Pyle, and several other characters, in this writ alone. On the negative side, perhaps each story line would have deserved more text in this book, or even a separate book. To conclude, a very enjoyable read, perhaps a bit too short for the three stories within."
— Michael (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Masterful…[a] brilliantly constructed novel.”
— The Guardian (London) -
“Written with Greene’s great technical skill and imagination.”
— New York Times -
“The best novel written about the war in Indo-China.”
— Chicago Sun-Times -
“Greene is a superb storyteller. He evokes the most actual streets, the most vivid skies, and individuals who can have a lacerating reality as they search the labyrinth of their lives.”
— Newsweek -
“A continuously intriguing piece of storytelling....Greene has brought into vivid relief...the fearful price of innocence—and has shown that behind innocence there lurk unconscious arrogance and a self-righteous streak of moral blindness.”
— The Atlantic -
“There has been no novel of any political scope about Vietnam since Graham Greene wrote The Quiet American.”
— Harper’s -
“Explains our past, in Southeast Asia, trains light on our present in many places, and perhaps foreshadows our future if we don’t take heed…A heartrending romance…haunting and profound.
— NPR -
“Greene at his best. The hand of the master is clearly revealed in the structure of the novel, which rises to a magnificent climax.”
— New Leader -
“An intensely observed portrait of Vietnam on the eve of French defeat…Part novel of intrigue, part mystery, part love story, The Quiet American remains as powerful today as when it was first written.”
— Publishers Weekly
Awards
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A New York Public Library Staff Pick of Favorite Books of the Last 125 Years
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New York Times bestseller
The Quiet American Listener Reviews
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Scott, 12/15/2020
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" Probably my favorite Graham Greene novel... "
— Patrick, 2/11/2014 -
" I think I should re-read this because I feel like I was too young to fully comprehend it. "
— Anna, 1/26/2014 -
" Exquisite story of Saigan of the French days "
— Dick, 1/16/2014 -
" Both a cynical look at the follies of international intervention, and a critique on attempting to stay uninvolved. Sooner or later, we all have to pick a side, and this book provides a clear warning for not approaching it ignorantly. It's also a damn good novel. "
— Timothy, 1/8/2014 -
" Just read this recently. Greene was prolific and brilliant--such an enviable combo! "
— Meri, 1/3/2014 -
" Sort of the flip side of the Greene novels I've liked best (Monsignor Quixote & The Power & the Glory). In those, deeply flawed priests become the instruments of grace. Here, an innocent, totally scrupulous American is, with the best of intentions, the instrument of evil. "
— Marvin, 1/2/2014 -
" This is a novel I'd be willing to read again. I think it's Graham Greene's best work by far. Too bad the idiots shaping America's Vietnam policy didn't read it, but they probably wouldn't have understood it had they done so. "
— Quinton, 1/1/2014 -
" I've read this before, years back. Greene is an extraordinary writer, and this book is brilliant and timely (alas). "
— Jane, 12/27/2013 -
" Our leaders should have read this book before going further in Vietnam. "
— Tom, 12/4/2013 -
" I'm sorry to say that this is one book that I didn't enjoy one bit. It seriously did put me to sleep. It's not MY style of writing but I beleive many others will def enjoy it. "
— Chrissy, 11/23/2013 -
" Not brilliant; OK for a school literature book. "
— Nachiappan, 11/14/2013 -
" The best 1st chapter of any novel I've ever read, though, oddly, it was only on the second read that this became apparent. "
— Mike, 11/13/2013 -
" I can't believe I haven't read this book until now. It's a short but with so much depth it may as well be 400 pages long. Graham Greene is endlessly fascinating, as are his characters--he is the first journalist whose literature I've really admired. "
— Lucy, 11/2/2013 -
" First Graham Greene. Great sense of place. The "quiet American" is a scary American. "
— Garry, 7/29/2013 -
" Even when we don't want to choose sides we all end up choosing sides. Who's to say one is wrong in their decision if justified with support? "
— Simonewilliams2, 4/24/2013 -
" I'm glad I read this and it was a very interesting view of Vietnam before US official involvement. "
— Rob, 1/17/2013 -
" An almost perfect novel- my favorite Graham Greene. "
— Jscorse, 11/26/2012 -
" The book starts a little slow but picks up about halfway through. The characters become entrancing and the dialogue becomes priceless. The nuances of the minds and attitudes are deep. A beautiful look at the expat and of Vietnam in the 50's. A must read for any traveler, physical or spiritual. "
— Nathaniel, 7/24/2012 -
" Oh man did this make me want to move to Southeast Asia and devote the rest of my life to smoking opium! This was my first introduction to Graham Greene and I enjoyed it quite a bit. "
— Raegan, 2/3/2012 -
" Loved the descriptions, but the characters annoyed me. "
— Jess, 5/1/2011 -
" I'm sorry to say that this is one book that I didn't enjoy one bit. It seriously did put me to sleep. It's not MY style of writing but I beleive many others will def enjoy it. "
— Chrissy, 4/14/2011 -
" Not up there with his more vigorous stuff...a bit too ruminative and vague...but still by and large a good read. "
— Tony, 4/12/2011 -
" My favorite Graham Greene novel! He's a classic. "
— Lorene, 4/9/2011 -
" At first, I was annoyed by the haughty tone of the narrator. How bad can America fuck up in foreign wars when we didn't even draw the lines? I continued reading, to realize that everyone is clueless. "
— Matthew, 4/6/2011 -
" Luved this book. GG has a way of describing Vietnam, during such a trying time, so beautifully that I may have went! Quick read with a touch of mystery. "
— Rashan, 4/6/2011 -
" <br/>3.5 stars.<br/><br/>Started slow but got interesting. "
— Dafarrell, 3/30/2011 -
" One of the few cases where the movie was more engaging than the book. "
— Rachel, 3/20/2011
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 Joseph Porter
Joseph Porter studied acting at the Moscow Art Theatre and Depaul University before graduating summa cum laude with a BFA from Wayne State University.