The affair between man, woman and the divine
This is my absolute favourite of Graham Greene‘s books, and one I reread every 5 years or so.
Obviously I know absolutely ‘what happens’ but am always moved by the intensity of the journey, the depth of characterisation and the struggles engaged in by the central characters
The familiar Greene territory is all here – betrayal, guilt, responsibility, sin and redemption, and the uneasy, unwilling nature of faith, belief and spiritual identity
Unlike the works which are set in foreign or exotic locations, this book is set in a more pedestrian territory, blitz torn London, and whilst ‘the affair’ of the book is ostensibly one that happens between a man and a woman, the underneath or overriding affair or relationship is that between a man/woman and his or her understanding of God.
This is a very common theme for Greene, and of course mirrors his own relationship 
with his faith – never easy, never taken for granted, always a sense of the soul wrangling with an accommodation with Divinity.
This is a wonderful and often bleak book, and, with a female as well as a male central character, and the relationship between the sexes as pivotal, it may speak to anyone who has ever fallen in love and found themselves caught in a minefield of conflicting loyalties, secrecy and deception
Something else I admire in this book, with a tendency, it seems, for many current writers to say more than they need to, is Greene’s economy with words. This is a slim volume, clear, but rich and layered. Greene knew how to cut away the unneeded flab, and give each word its due weight. A masterly exercise in precision, and the avoidance of self-indulgence. A quick. clear read, but it burrows in deep.
The End of The Affair Amazon UK
The End of The Affair Amazon USA
Lady Fancifull 
Ah, you may have inspired me to re-read my own favourite Greene – The Heart of the Matter. Scobie’s internal conversations with his God always stun me, especially when you consider Green’s own religious journey.
PS I note you resisted the Greene-land tagging…
I really need to develop the ability to be able to read several books AT EXACTLY THE SAME MOMENT. So many many amazing books, both new and to re-read. Know any good courses to help you read whilst sleeping?
Well, I’m hoping my fancy new bud headphones will allow me to do just that! Why waste those pesky sleeping hours when you could be subliminally absorbing audiobooks…
I think I need help.
So – perhaps I could cut my books up and EAT them – would this be a valid way to digest and absorb them. Dickens and chips?
I read this for the first time last year after being introduced to Greene in a Asia in Western Literature class at my University – A Quiet American. His use of language is so elegant and wonderful… It is an absolute shame I had not heard of him sooner. Great post, enjoyed it immensely.
Thank you A. His ‘inheritor’ (and i can see the connection) was the Irish writer Brian Moore, who often tangled with religion, faith, doubt and moral ambiguity as Greene did, and was an equally elegant writer (that word is so right!) Graham Greene rather gave him the mantle by calling him his (Greene’s) favourite living writer
Maybe it is an American thing? Why I never heard of him until my fantastic class?
A friend and fellow blogger and Amazon reviewer (FictionFan – we follow each other) fairly recently had a reviewer post a comment on one of her Amazon reviews, basically regretting the fact that ‘Literary Fiction’ is becoming more and more ignored and finding it hard to make its way in the States. I’m not sure it’s so different in the UK. A lot of stuff which is mediocre at best is highly praised, and some amazing writing and writers almost seem like well-kept secrets. I feel like a rant is building up!