Wirral Libraries Bookbuzz discussion

This was our Reading Group book for November 2020.

I enjoyed Our Man In Havana. I've read it before - my copy was printed in 1982 - so it was probably some time ago! I've also enjoyed reading Stamboul Train and think I've read another Graham Greene - possibly The Honorary Consul. Naturally I've also seen the film of The Third Man (a smashing bit of Zither music!) and a bit of Brighton Rock on film. Of these the only one of these I can't remember enjoying was Brighton Rock.

Re-reading Our Man In Havana left me very conscious that it was a comedy of the time (there were several bits I laughed out loud at). Published in 1958 it was written before the Castro take over of Cuba - in the middle of the struggle by the 26th of July Movement to take over from Batista's military junta. This made the location for the story particularly relevant at the time.

It also struck me as being a sharp criticism of the image of being gifted amateurs which the British security services nurtured at the time.
James Bond had already emerged as a new character in 1953 - giving a different spin on the Secret Service. Meanwhile our security services were thoroughly infiltrated by the Cambridge Five and the UK was about to select as a Secretary of State for War someone who, in the middle of the Cold War, allowed himself to have an affair with a woman who also appeared to be having a relationship with the Soviet Naval Attaché. Although Graham Green probably didn't know about these developments at the time he wrote the book they all show an environment in which the security services were important but perhaps not quite as competent as was hoped.

Given that it was a comedy I was happy to give some latitude to the overly stereotypical characters. Milly reminded me, to some extent, of some rather spoiled young relatives - although their parents are stricter in managing within their budgets!

The denouement of a training place for Wormold struck me as being so familiar - just like No 10 today.

I'm not quite sure where the romance with Beatrice fitted - to some extent it illuminated Wormold as having a stiff upper lip style - but perhaps it was a plot fragment that Graham Greene decided not to use - nevertheless the ending held the prospect of happily ever after for Beatrice, Milly and Wormold which is appropriate for a comedy.

The Reading Group as a whole were a bit more mixed on their view of the book - but I would recommend it as a pleasant light read.

I read this last year and really enjoyed it.