J'accuse

by Graham Greene

J'Accuse The Dark Side of Nice

69 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Henry Graham Greene was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading novelists of the 20th century.
Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquired a reputation early in his lifetime as a major writer, both of serious Catholic novels, and of thrillers (or "entertainments" as he termed them). He was shortlisted for the Nobel Prize in Literature several times. Through 67 years of writing, which included over 25 novels, he explored the conflicting moral and political issues of the modern world. The Power and the Glory won the 1941 Hawthornden Prize and The Heart of the Matter won the 1948 James Tait Black Memorial Prize and was shortlisted for the Best of the James Tait Black. Greene was awarded the 1968 Shakespeare Prize and the 1981 Jerusalem Prize. Several of his stories have been filmed, some more than once, and he collaborated with filmmaker Carol Reed on The Fallen Idol (1948) and The Third Man (1949).
He converted to Catholicism in 1926 after meeting his future wife, Vivienne Dayrell-Browning. Later in life he took to calling himself a "Catholic agnostic". He died in 1991, aged 86, of leukemia, and was buried in Corseaux cemetery in Switzerland. William Golding called Greene "the ultimate chronicler of twentieth-century man's consciousness and anxiety".

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A curious little book outlining the corruption in Nice centered around the divorce of Greene's friend. It is an attempt to bring justice to a woman who was in danger of losing her children to her 'mafia' linked husband. A quick read; I felt at times I was reading the author's journal or we were having coffee while discussing the problem of corrupt officials. Greene's outrage is apparent and I did feel empathy for the woman at the centre of this power struggle.

Since the story is so short, it is written twice: once in English and once in French, so a student of either language would find it a beneficial exercise.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

This must certainly be the oddest of Graham Greene’s printer pieces. It was only printed in paper (with a rather elegant cover with a French-fold) by The Bodley Head in London in 1982. It is published in both French and English - the English at first and then the French (translated) at the end. It is blurbed as showing Greene as “faithful to his vocation to speak for the victims.” But, it’s really a vengeful and obsessive diatribe by Greene on behalf of his mistress,
The book was banned in France and Greene was sued successfully by Daniel Guy, the ex-husband of Martine Guy, the daughter of Yvonne Cloetta. Ultimately, however, Greene was partially exonerated when the Mayor of Nice was convicted of crimes against the state.
If you want to read Graham Greene, don’t start here!!

[Ken French · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scathing look at corruption in Nice in the early 1980s. Easy to see why Greene was sued for libel after this--he names names.

[Paul Barnes · Rating 2 out of 5]

[The Bodley Head] (1982). SB/DJ. 69 Pages. Purchased from Andrew Brown.

pp. 1-35 (English Language); the closing balance replicates this in French.

(True) Crime and corruption in Nice.

Well written. Drab. Depressing.

[Stephen Rötzsch Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

A late exposé by Greene, drawn very personally around the troubles of his mistress' daughter. It reads nowadays like a true crime podcast whose subject doesn't quite warrant the special attention.

[Winnie Marth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graham Greene's try on naturalism. Interesting is the only word I can think of.