I decided to re-read Graham Greene's classic spy novel, Our Man In Havana, after having seen the film version starring Alec Guiness and after having visited Cuba itself. I was struck by how enjoyable it was, and the film was fairly true to the novel. I had read Christopher Htichens' introduction in his book of essays, Arguably, previously and it gets to the heart of Greene's world and artistry. The cold war setting in Havana, Cuba at the time before Fidel Castro's revolution is eerily prescient as the setting in Vietnam before the decisive battle of Dien Bein Phu in The Quiet American. As Hitchens points out Wormold is living a life of quiet desperation with his naughty good-girl daughter Milly who has some expensive tastes, meeting his drinking companion Dr. Hasselbacher on occasion at Sloppy Joe's or The Wonder Bar. His life in irrevocably changed when he is recruited to be England's "man in Havana." Suddenly Wormold can afford that horse for Milly and becomes less concerned about her future. Things start to go awry once his fictitious reports start to come true. Alcohol often plays an important role in Greene's novels, and, in fact, it is included in a pivotal scene where Wormold plays the devious Capt. Secura checkers with miniature whiskeys which must be drank as they are taken. After the book has come to its conclusion, it might be said that the reader has learned a few things about the author himself, in that there is some discussion as to who people should be loyal to and in Greeneland, one's country is quite far down the list that is topped by family and friends. After re-reading this classic novel, it remains among my favorites-it has not been diminished by time.
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