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The Third Man & The Fallen Idol (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics) - Graham Greene
The Third Man & The Fallen Idol (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics)
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3.88 40
The Third Man is Greene's brilliant recreation of post-war Vienna, a city of desolate poverty occupied by four powers. Rollo Martins, a second-rate novelist, arrives penniless in Vienna to visit his old friend and hero Harry Lime. Harry is dead, but the circumstances surrounding his death are... show more
The Third Man is Greene's brilliant recreation of post-war Vienna, a city of desolate poverty occupied by four powers. Rollo Martins, a second-rate novelist, arrives penniless in Vienna to visit his old friend and hero Harry Lime. Harry is dead, but the circumstances surrounding his death are highly suspicious, and his reputation, at the very least, dubious. Graham Greene said of The Third Man that he "wanted to entertain [people], to frighten them a little, to make them laugh" and the result is both a compelling narrative and a haunting thriller.  The Fallen Idol is the chilling story of a small boy caught up in the games that adults play. Left in the care of the butler, Baines, and his wife, Philip realizes too late the danger of lies and deceit. But the truth is even deadlier.
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Format: paperback
ISBN: 9780140185331 (014018533X)
Publisher: Penguin
Pages no: 157
Edition language: English
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Community Reviews
Carmilla Reads
Carmilla Reads rated it
4.5 Beautifully written short(ish) thrillers
This book contains two of Graham Greene's short(ish) stories that were made into films. The first is set in post-war Vienna occupied by Britain, the US, France and Russia. It is a satisfying thriller, although the surprise twist wasn't so surprising, most of the interest (both drama and humour) come...
so many books, so little time
so many books, so little time rated it
4.0 The Third Man & The Fallen Idol (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics)
Yes, the novella was written specifically as a preliminary for the screenplay and even Greene notes that the movie is better. But even sketchily written Greene can be damn good and it is here.Apart from the themes of the ruin of illusions and loyalty in post-war Vienna, the subplot involving the con...
BrokenTune
BrokenTune rated it
3.5 The Third Man
I have tried to watch The Third Man more times than I care to remember. Tried and failed. I know it is considered a classic but the only effect it ever had on me was to put me to sleep. As part of my self-imposed Greene-land challenge, this is one of the two books that I have looked forward to lea...
meganbaxter
meganbaxter rated it
This is a slim little book, but the two stories in it pack quite a wallop. One, is, of course, the more famous, the basis for The Third Man movie. The other was also made into a movie, but is not as well known. Interestingly, according to the foreword, The Third Man started life as a movie project, ...
The Library of Babel
The Library of Babel rated it
3.0
There seems to be a whole business about "The Third Man" which is still going on in Vienna long after the release of Carol Reed's movie based on a script by Graham Greene. A very peculiar sort of script: this novella.If you walk around the majestic Viennese Ring or through the polished, Charlotte Ru...
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