The Third Man: Amazon.ca: Graham Greene: Books

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The Third Man is Greene’s brilliant recreation of post-war Vienna. Rollo Martins, a second-rate novelist, arrives penniless to visit his friend and hero, Harry Lime. But Harry has died in suspicious circumstances, and the police are closing in on his associates.

The Fallen Idol is the chilling story of a small boy caught up in the games adults play. Left in the care of the butler and his wife while his parents go on holiday, Philip realizes too late the danger of lies and deceit. But the truth is even deadlier. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Graham Greene (1904-1991) worked as a journalist and critic, and was later employed by the foreign office. His many books include The Third Man, The Comedians and Travels with My Aunt. He is the subject of an acclaimed three-volume biography by Norman Sherry. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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3.0 out of 5 stars Classic espionage, Mar 24 2004

By	Philippe Horak (Zug, Switzerland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Mr Graham Greene's short novel is set in Vienna just before the end of the Second World War. The city is described as "smashed and dreary" and when the action starts, Vienna is still divided up in zones among the Four Powers: the Russian, the British, the American and the French zones. Rollo Martins' line is the writing of cheap paperback Westerns under the penname of Buck Dexter. Martins received an invitation from Harry Lime of the International Refugee Office to join him in Vienna. When Martins arrives at the Hotel Asoria, there is no Lime expecting him, but only a cryptic message for Mr Dexter from a man called Crabbin. Martins then decides to look for Lime's apartment, but once he arrives there, a neighbour, a Herr Kurz, informs him that Harry Lime is dead after having been run over by a car. The burial is to take place the same afternoon at Vienna's Central Cemetery. Martins goes to the ceremony and immediately after that, he is accosted by a man called Calloway, a policeman from Scotland Yard, who asks him if he knew Harry Lime.
This is the beginning of Graham Greene's classic espionage thriller, very well constructed with wonderfully drawn characters and a suspenseful plot.
Philippe Horak / phorak@gibz.ch

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4.0 out of 5 stars Graham Greene tells story with rich inner thoughts, Mar 1 2001

By	AH-SAN WONG "book reader" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Third Man And The Fallen Idol (Paperback)

On the backcover of the book:

THE THIRD MAN

Rollo Martins is invited by his school-friend hero, Harry Lime, to post-war Vienna, 'a smashed dreary city' occupied by four powers...

Everyone has a racket, but Martins learns that Lime 'was about the worst racketeer who ever made a dirty living'. What's more, LIme has just been killed - by accident? The truth is almost more than Martins can stand...

THE FALLEN IDOL

Philip is a small boy left in a large Belgravia house with Baines, the butler, and 'thin, menacing, dusty' Mrs Baines. And Baines has a girl-friend. Soon Philip is 'caught up in other people's darkness...'

Greene writes in the preface that "The Third Man was never intended to be more than the raw materiall for a picture". Still, the novel is not lack of intricated plots, suspenses, character's thought processes, and Greene's typical sharp wits. The Fallen Idol was not written for the films. It is a short story with intensity and suspense: a boy got involved in the lives of adults.

Graham Greene is the master of suspense, even in these two rather short stories. That's all I have to say about this book.

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3.0 out of 5 stars An interesting story but not classic Graham Greene, Feb 6 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: 20th Century Third Man And The Fallen Idol (Paperback)

The author states in the preface that "The Third Man" was never written to be read but only to be seen" which perhaps explains the sketchy treatment of characters throughout the story.At times I was confused by the various people in the book and had to reread some pages.The storyline was interesting and quite exciting and I look forward to seeing the film. The other story in the book,"The Fallen Idol",is only 30 pages long but Greene manages to convey a sinister atmosphere and great depth of characters-a very enjoyable story.

The Third Man (Hardcover)

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