Tag: Mexico

Graham Greene – The Lawless Roads | Review

Title: The Lawless Roads

Author: Graham Greene

Type: Non-Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 224

Rating: 4*/5

 

Graham Greene - The Lawless Roads

Graham Greene – The Lawless Roads

 

This book was tricky to rate – I veered between three an four out of five. But there’s a pretty simply reason for that – it can be difficult to read at times, and the small print also makes it feel as though you’re not making much progress. For some people, it might be off-putting, but it’s worth persevering with, especially if you’re interested in the subject matter.

This book is interesting because it tells the real story of what happened when Graham Greene travelled around Mexico in 1938, just before the start of the Second World War. He was there on commission – the Catholic church wanted to find out more about the state of religious persecution in the country. As a result of this, the book has two particular quirks which simultaneously make it harder to read and more intriguing. The first is the references to religion, which might not make much sense unless you, yourself, are a Catholic. And the same goes for Mexican words and place names – unless you pay attention, they all start to sound the same.

But still, if you like to read books that give your brain a workout, give this a try. It’s like travelling, but from your armchair.

 

Graham Greene

Graham Greene

 

Click here to buy The Lawless Roads.


Graham Greene – The Power and the Glory | Review

Title: The Power and the Glory

Author: Graham Greene

Type: Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 145

Rating: 8/10

 

Graham Greene - The Power and the Glory

Graham Greene – The Power and the Glory

 

The Power and the Glory is often cited as one of Greene’s best works, and I can see why – that said, it does have its problems. As the title implies, it’s about religion – specifically, about a Catholic ‘whiskey priest‘ who travels through Mexico in search of whiskey and holiness, preferably at the same time. I might not be able to relate to the religious nature of the work, but I can get on board with a whiskey priest.

One of the interesting points about this novel is that the protagonist is never named, and I’m pretty sure that it’s deliberate – it’s a reference to the sheer number of nameless, wandering holy men of the time. A good place to start.

 

Graham Greene

Graham Greene

 

Click here to buy The Power and the Glory.