Folio Archives 218: The Human Factor by Graham Greene 2008
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1wcarter
The Human Factor by Graham Greene 2008
This is a spy story written by someone who was a spy himself for MI6 in Sierra Leone during WW2, and was supervised by the notorious Soviet agent, Kim Philby. But it is not an ordinary story of espionage, rather it is one that shows the human toll spying tales on the individual.
Written in 1977 when apartheid was at its peak in South Africa (and the year when I was living and working in the Ciskei, one of the separated Bantustans in South Africa) and at the height of the cold war, Greene shows the immorality and racism of some of those who direct these agencies and their ambivalent attitude to apartheid and Communism. There is a significant South African connection and commentary on apartheid in the plot.
Greene also includes insights into how the different espionage agencies of the UK work, and the psychological and personal toll working for these agencies takes on the individual – the human factor! It is the direct antithesis of a James Bond style spy thriller.
The books 259 pages are an easy and rapid read, and the 12 monochrome illustrations by Bill Bragg fit the books mood and are carefully placed in context with the text. There is no introduction. The binding is grey cloth blocked in black and highlighted in yellow with a design by Bragg. The endpapers are plain orange, the slipcase plain black and measures 23.8x15.8cm.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
This is a spy story written by someone who was a spy himself for MI6 in Sierra Leone during WW2, and was supervised by the notorious Soviet agent, Kim Philby. But it is not an ordinary story of espionage, rather it is one that shows the human toll spying tales on the individual.
Written in 1977 when apartheid was at its peak in South Africa (and the year when I was living and working in the Ciskei, one of the separated Bantustans in South Africa) and at the height of the cold war, Greene shows the immorality and racism of some of those who direct these agencies and their ambivalent attitude to apartheid and Communism. There is a significant South African connection and commentary on apartheid in the plot.
Greene also includes insights into how the different espionage agencies of the UK work, and the psychological and personal toll working for these agencies takes on the individual – the human factor! It is the direct antithesis of a James Bond style spy thriller.
The books 259 pages are an easy and rapid read, and the 12 monochrome illustrations by Bill Bragg fit the books mood and are carefully placed in context with the text. There is no introduction. The binding is grey cloth blocked in black and highlighted in yellow with a design by Bragg. The endpapers are plain orange, the slipcase plain black and measures 23.8x15.8cm.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
2wdripp
>1 wcarter: I love Graham Greene and the books in this FS series. I wish they would print more of his work.
3caesarofcaesars
If you do not mind me asking, how many of Greene's works have FS printed since the green and blue sets in the 1990s? These standalone volumes look absolutely amazing!
4ian_curtin
I nearly bought this just for the Bragg illustrations - slight regret I didn't, seeing them again. Really enjoy his work.
5affle
>3 caesarofcaesars:
Three: this one, The Comedians, Travels with My Aunt . A pity there aren't one or two more
ETA picture
Except it's not posting...
Three: this one, The Comedians, Travels with My Aunt . A pity there aren't one or two more
ETA picture
Except it's not posting...
6Jayked
>3 caesarofcaesars:
They did The Comedians most recently but I don't recall seeing The Honorary Consul. Travels With My Aunt came earlier.
They did The Comedians most recently but I don't recall seeing The Honorary Consul. Travels With My Aunt came earlier.
7ian_curtin
>3 caesarofcaesars: >5 affle: Brighton Rock as well... from 2015, I think.
8wdripp
>7 ian_curtin: Yes, Brighton Rock, The End of the Affair, The Power & the Glory, and The Quiet American were reprinted as stand alone volumes with a slightly different binding that better matches the other stand alone volumes released after the two boxed sets.
11abysswalker
>4 ian_curtin: yeah, this is one that I otherwise probably wouldn’t go for, but the illustrations are marvelous, perfectly capturing the period.
12ian_curtin
>9 affle: Ah, they look fantastic all together. Wonder why they somewhat randomly reprinted a couple as stand-alones.
13stumc
>9 affle: those sets look perfect, for some reason all the sets on the secondary market I have seen have been faded/stained.
Graham Greene is one of my favourite authors, I find his work both gripping and entertaining, whilst also saying something deeper about humanity
Graham Greene is one of my favourite authors, I find his work both gripping and entertaining, whilst also saying something deeper about humanity
14affle
>13 stumc:
The books have all been read, but only by me and mine - I've had the Novels from first publication, but the Entertainments were a lucky acquisition from the Members Room archive sale in 2012, for £40. There are members of this group who will share happy memories of that event.
There was a second printing of the Entertainments in 2004, but I think there was just the one printing of the Novels as a set, although all but A burnt-out case were re-issued individually. So all the sets are getting on a bit now - I hope you succeed in finding ones to your liking.
The books have all been read, but only by me and mine - I've had the Novels from first publication, but the Entertainments were a lucky acquisition from the Members Room archive sale in 2012, for £40. There are members of this group who will share happy memories of that event.
There was a second printing of the Entertainments in 2004, but I think there was just the one printing of the Novels as a set, although all but A burnt-out case were re-issued individually. So all the sets are getting on a bit now - I hope you succeed in finding ones to your liking.
15dlphcoracl
>9 affle:
>13 stumc:
Your photo >9 affle: reminds me a fabulous film version of 'The Third Man' , directed by British director Carol Reed in 1949. It is film noir in beautiful black and white, featuring unforgettable performances by Joseph Cotten and Orson Welles. Their scene on the giant ferris wheel is a classic. If you >13 stumc: are a Graham Greene fan the beautifully restored version from the Criterion Collection is a "Must Have". Truly, one of the twentieth century's great films, with fascinating footage of post WW II Vienna.
https://www.criterion.com/films/236-the-third-man
>13 stumc:
Your photo >9 affle: reminds me a fabulous film version of 'The Third Man' , directed by British director Carol Reed in 1949. It is film noir in beautiful black and white, featuring unforgettable performances by Joseph Cotten and Orson Welles. Their scene on the giant ferris wheel is a classic. If you >13 stumc: are a Graham Greene fan the beautifully restored version from the Criterion Collection is a "Must Have". Truly, one of the twentieth century's great films, with fascinating footage of post WW II Vienna.
https://www.criterion.com/films/236-the-third-man
16wdripp
>15 dlphcoracl: My favorite movie!
And after watching The Third Man, which you should if you’ve never seen it, seek out the Pinky and the Brain cartoon episode The Third Mouse. I have no idea how it exists, but I love that it does.
And after watching The Third Man, which you should if you’ve never seen it, seek out the Pinky and the Brain cartoon episode The Third Mouse. I have no idea how it exists, but I love that it does.
18stumc
>15 dlphcoracl: yes, I love that film, arguably the best film noir of all time, even though it is obviously not set in america. my favourite Orson Welles film as well, and he did some good uns.
the original Brighton Rock movie also deserves a mention.
the original Brighton Rock movie also deserves a mention.
19folio_books
>18 stumc: the original Brighton Rock movie also deserves a mention.
Yes, that's a good point. My view is that The Third Man was the superior film, but I enjoyed Brighton Rock as a book more. Both (books and films) are deservedly regarded as classics, though.
Yes, that's a good point. My view is that The Third Man was the superior film, but I enjoyed Brighton Rock as a book more. Both (books and films) are deservedly regarded as classics, though.
