- Hardcover: 160 pages
- Publisher: Hesperus Press Ltd (18 Nov 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 184391414X
- ISBN-13: 978-1843914143
- Product Dimensions: 20.2 x 17.4 x 1.7 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 886,948 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Review
'Hesperus has performed a valuable service in making widely available for the first time a reliable edition of these two little-known texts, written between 'The Heart of the Matter' and 'The End of the Affair', when Greene was at the height of his powers as a novelist' --David Lodge
'...[a] fascinating volume of posthumous Greeniana' --The Guardian
'Students of Greene's work and those eager to trace biographical echoes from his life (he was, for instance, at the height of his affair with Catherine Walston at this time) will be intrigued by these unpolished, abandoned treatments' --The Tablet
'...[a] fascinating volume of posthumous Greeniana' --The Guardian
'Students of Greene's work and those eager to trace biographical echoes from his life (he was, for instance, at the height of his affair with Catherine Walston at this time) will be intrigued by these unpolished, abandoned treatments' --The Tablet
Product Description
'No Man's Land' is a profoundly chilling tale of espionage, superstition, and betrayal, and bears all the hallmarks of Greene's most famous works. Arriving in the Harz Mountains, within striking distance of the Iron Curtain, 'civilian' Brown appears to be enjoying a small vacation. Yet one night he crosses into the Russian zone, claiming to be drawn to a site of Catholic pilgrimage. His cover is not quite convincing enough, however, and he finds himself arrested and interrogated. Refusing to confess the real reason behind his visit, he gains an unexpected ally, and the two of them embark upon a hazardous plan to complete his mission and return to the West. The result is a remarkable and psychologically charged exploration of fear and crossed frontiers.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This nice little release is of two film treatments written by Greene at the peak of his career, just after 'The End of the Affair'. The two tales, 'No Man's Land' and 'A Stranger's Hand', are both barely novella length, but they grip the reader's attention in an efficient way. The former is perhaps more recognisably set in 'Greeneland', as it concerns a cold war spy mission, a hesitant and flawed hero, and plenty of Catholic imagery (the climactic scenes are in a Pilgrim's Shrine). Overall it is quite a satisfying tale, and a genuine sense of danger and tension in crossing the Iron Curtain is generated. In that regard, the story is an interesting companion piece perhaps not so much to Green's greatest works such as 'The Heart of the Matter', but to earlier thrillers like 'A Gun for Hire' and 'Stamboul Train'.
'A Stranger's Hand' meanwhile, is a fairly standard tale of a young boy seperated from his mysterious father in Venice. This work is in fact unfinished and the book concludes with a summary of how the story was continued and ended in the film adaptation.
For fans of Greene's work, this nicely produced hardback book is unmissable, although I would argue that only the title story is really recognisable as a story by him.
'A Stranger's Hand' meanwhile, is a fairly standard tale of a young boy seperated from his mysterious father in Venice. This work is in fact unfinished and the book concludes with a summary of how the story was continued and ended in the film adaptation.
For fans of Greene's work, this nicely produced hardback book is unmissable, although I would argue that only the title story is really recognisable as a story by him.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The two short novels in this book are Graham Greene's two Cold-War thrillers.
In No Man's Land the main themes are security measures taken by the Russians against information on the uranium workings on the Czech-Austrian border and a kind of Teresa Neumann character who attracts religious pilgrims from outside the area. Actually Greene later changed that aspect of the story in favour of a visitation from the Virgin Mary herself, who appears, holding a rose, to two children, in an area that had recently come under the control of the Russian occupying forces in the Harz mountains. Greene wanted to exploit the recent uranium discoveries at Eisleben in the Soviet zone.
In both stories the personal and political are entwined. Then Stranger'sHand features the plight of an eight-year boy, Roger Court, who is posted like a parcel by his aunt to a strange city, Venice, to meet a long-absent father who fails to turn up. Greene writes memorably about an alienated childhood and the rituals with which the boy seeks to distract himself, the improvised game of cricket, and the moments when his courage and self-control suddenly give way to helpless tears, are beautifully judged. Here again the background is Cold War espionage and intrigue so that the confrontation across the frontiers of disputed territory serves as a metaphor for moral and emotional disconnection.
In No Man's Land the main themes are security measures taken by the Russians against information on the uranium workings on the Czech-Austrian border and a kind of Teresa Neumann character who attracts religious pilgrims from outside the area. Actually Greene later changed that aspect of the story in favour of a visitation from the Virgin Mary herself, who appears, holding a rose, to two children, in an area that had recently come under the control of the Russian occupying forces in the Harz mountains. Greene wanted to exploit the recent uranium discoveries at Eisleben in the Soviet zone.
In both stories the personal and political are entwined. Then Stranger'sHand features the plight of an eight-year boy, Roger Court, who is posted like a parcel by his aunt to a strange city, Venice, to meet a long-absent father who fails to turn up. Greene writes memorably about an alienated childhood and the rituals with which the boy seeks to distract himself, the improvised game of cricket, and the moments when his courage and self-control suddenly give way to helpless tears, are beautifully judged. Here again the background is Cold War espionage and intrigue so that the confrontation across the frontiers of disputed territory serves as a metaphor for moral and emotional disconnection.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
If you like stilted, unnatural dialogue and unbelievable situations, this is the book for you. I've lived in Germany a long time and have experienced both sides of the wall. This doesn't come close to describing reality. Don't waste your money on this drivel, the author is obviously relying on his reputation to make this unrealistic rubbish "acceptable".
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