The Human Factor

Geschreven bij The Human Factor

The late Graham Greene (1904-1991) surely is in the top-3 of best writers not to have won the Noble Prize for Literature.
In 2008, Irish author Colm Tóibín wrote a helpful Introduction to this new edition of Graham Greene’s 1978 masterpiece in the awesome Penguin Classics series. He put quite a few issues in perspective, confirming that Graham Greene (GG) had a boring, eventless intelligence career during and after WW II, and of his use of lots of autobiographic material in this book.
This spy novel has no major violence, nor uses advanced technology or -weapons. Readers pining for brutal action may find it boring, like some of John Le Carré (JLC)’s books. But GG and JLC converge and differ in their treatment of espionage practitioners: Both favor what Americans call HUMINT (human intelligence) over technology as the prime source of intelligence gathering. Both are quite candid and flippant about the importance of class in intelligence circles. But where JLC roots out moles, GG’s main protagonist Maurice Castle ís one.
He is a 62-year old veteran in espionage, fully aware of bugged rooms and telephones and all the tricks of his trade. As a British diplomat he fled South Africa around 1970. Ever since, he has worked in London as a lowly intelligence officer. Until a security probe about leaks from his section coincides with the visit of the SA security man who prompted his flight...
Plot-wise and in terms of the superior quality of writing, “The Human Factor” remains an absolute stunner, full of fear, doubt, and loneliness. Great plot, great atmosphere and superlative writing.