Journal Entry 1 by ChiBoiler from Chicago, Illinois USA on Friday, October 05, 2007

From the 1001 Book List. The books is short. I had seen the movie before reading the book and I think I missed the point entirely of the movie. The book was pretty good. Was worth reading


I am offering this book as a Bookray!

Here is the order so far:

1. Taniazed (Australia)
2. TQD (Australia)
3. Fushmush (EU)
4. Cally-c (EU)
5. lot84 (EU)
6. max9 (EU)
7. CaterinaAnna(UK)
8. ekandra (UK)

This book has reached its final destination! Thanks for participating!
 

Journal Entry 2 by ChiBoiler from Chicago, Illinois USA on Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Mailed the book out today to taniazed. Per the postal employee, it should arrive in Australia in 5-10 days. Happy reading! 

Journal Entry 3 by taniazed on Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Just got this today! Looking forward to reading it! 

Journal Entry 4 by taniazed on Thursday, November 15, 2007

What a thought provoking book. It was a bit hard for me to read as I have not much knowledge about Vietnam, but I have definitly learnt from the book.

It was so sad, I had tears in my eyes at the end of the book. It is hard to know who to blame in this story, Fowler says numerous times the innocent can't be blamed, Pyle truly believes he is doing good, he can't see beyond that. Would he eventually have woken up to the real world if he had lived?

But was his cause any worse than the other causes that were fought over in Vietnam? The whole situation was tragic . I won't go any further into the situation in Vietnam as I still don't know enough to intelligently comment.

I do believe though that those who sent Pyle along to Vietnam saw his innocence and used him terribly.

Was Fowler right or wrong? If he was able to go back, would he act in the same way? I don't know, but his regrets are so sad. The very last line of the book I'm sure will stay with me for quite a while. One of those lines that can bring tears to your eyes just remembering it.


I'll be sending this on to tqd tomorrow! Thanks for letting me read it! 

Journal Entry 5 by tqd from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Turned up in the mail yesterday (thanks taniazed!) but I was a bit too flat out celebrating Mr Bear's fifth birthday to get to a computer. I've got a few bookrings ahead of it (as usual, *sigh*), but shall get onto this one asap.

Funnily enough, I'm currently reading another Graham Greene - Brighton Rock. This month's shaping up to be a Greene-fest for me! 

Journal Entry 6 by tqd from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Monday, December 10, 2007

Why, oh why, did I leave finding Graham Greene until so late in life? A magnificent book, I'm giving it 10 stars (first time I've given something full marks since I don't know when) because I can't think of a single criticism. (Apart from wondering if Brendan Fraser would work as Pyle in the movie adaptation, but that's hardly a fault of the book.)

Evocative, beautiful, wonderful, fascinating, educative, and (my favourite thing in a book) a complete ripsnorter of a plot.

I loved the complete cynicism of Fowler, and the contrast between him and the overwhelming innocence of Pyle. And the fact that neither was really the good guy, or the bad guy. They both do what they think is best, but neither does any good, either through action or inaction.

Thanks so much for the chance to read this, ChiBoiler! I've got FushMush's address already, so shall pop this in the post asap.

UPDATE 14 DEC 2007: In the post to FushMush today. Happy reading! 

Journal Entry 7 by fushmush from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Received today. Thanks for sending it all the way to Pommyland. 

Journal Entry 8 by fushmush from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Monday, January 21, 2008

Beautifully written.

Everyone is torn between right and wrong. Whether it's Fowler, Pyle, or even the soldiers fighting in the war. Everyone is doing what they think is right (or at least justifying decisions with this theory.)

I was completely surprised by the ending. I guess I'm an innocent like Pyle too.

Updated 24/01/2008: Posted to next in line :D 

Journal Entry 9 by cally-c from Alfreton, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Friday, January 25, 2008

Arrived yesterday.
I hadn't realised till I saw the cover that I have seen the film & enjoyed it, so I am looking forwards to reading this. 

Journal Entry 10 by cally-c from Alfreton, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Sunday, February 03, 2008

Journal Entry 11 by MrsJennings from Barton Park, Devon United Kingdom on Monday, February 18, 2008

Thank you, the book has safely arrived. 

Journal Entry 12 by MrsJennings from Barton Park, Devon United Kingdom on Monday, March 31, 2008

Enjoyed the book on holiday last week. Interesting characters. I'd like to see the film - can't really imagine the characters as Caine and Brendan Fraser! Usually prefer Graham Greene's comic novels - my favourite is Our Man is Havana (I recommend it if you haven't read it) but am becoming a bit of a Greene fan now! I'll send it off as soon as I have the next address...

Sent to CaterinaAnna on 4/4/08 

Journal Entry 13 by Caterinaanna from Coventry, West Midlands United Kingdom on Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Grr! I'm annoyed!
I know I wrote a review of this about a fortnight ago, and it was a good one (by my standards) but it seems to have vanished from the face of bookcrossing and I don't even have a plain text copy of it. I didn't even realise until max9 started wondering if the book had got lost :o( I hate doing JEs when others - and there have been a few - have got in the way since.

The two main characters reminded me of people I used to drink with in The Nasandhura Palace hotel in Male': cynical ex-pats, some with rather ill-defined jobs, and idealistic volunteers from VSO and AVA, ditto. (No prizes for guessing which role I was there in.) As a result, I thought that they were well-portrayed, whereas the girl (whose name escapes me because the book is parcelled up!) I thought was rather wishy-washy and vaguely understood - her sister made much more sense, and at least seemed to have some motivation behind her actions. That was the weakness of the book imho, but not enough of a flaw to stop me reading it in two weeknight sittings.

Thank you taniazed and everyone who has got this book this far. 

Journal Entry 14 by Caterinaanna at Ray in to another bookcrosser, By Post -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Released 3 yrs ago (4/29/2008 UTC) at Ray in to another bookcrosser, By Post -- Controlled Releases

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Finally on its way to ekandra today. Post-Convention fatigue has delayed the post. (Well it's better than 'leaves on the line'!) 

Journal Entry 15 by ekranda from Northampton, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Friday, May 02, 2008

Journal Entry 16 by ekranda from Northampton, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Friday, May 30, 2008

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the story line was wonderful and the characters within it were spot on. I remember watching the film years ago so vague memories might have given extra life to the story line but I have to say I am very impressed with Graham Greene's writing style and very much looking forward to reading another of his books soon. I feel that Phuong’s character was fine, the main character, Fowler, described his relationship very well with her. He could read her sister – predicted what her sister’s next move was ie trying to marry of Phuong to someone with prospects and someone that she could have a family with but was that because her sister had almost become westernised that he was able to read her so clearly? He stated within the book that he would never truly understand Phuong, even if he were able to read her mind because he couldn’t understand the language in which she thought and he demonstrated a barrier between them. I got the impression that not really knowing who she was, how she thought and what sure truly felt about anyone was how she became a possession in the first place. Her sister had the most control over her, leaving the men without power and feeling somewhat vulnerable about their relationship with her.

I think there are a couple of issues brought up between Fowler and Pyle too, the innocent, naivety of the young American man and the cynical older British man who was hiding from loneliness throughout the story. The American man had too much power through his influences with certain people, that combined with his naivety resulted in him becoming very dangerous. His inexperience led him to have a blinkered outlook and not observe the whole picture, whereas the British older man could see quite plainly the whole ugly truth which was one of the reasons I feel he was attempting to remain neutral throughout. Eventually he was worn down as the war was being played out too close to him and finally he was pushed into making a choice.

A fantastic read! Thanks for sharing!!!
 

Journal Entry 17 by ekranda from Northampton, Northamptonshire United Kingdom on Thursday, June 05, 2008

To be taken along to the London meet on Sunday. 

Journal Entry 18 by ekranda at Cafe Rouge in Greenwich, Greater London United Kingdom on Sunday, June 08, 2008

Released 3 yrs ago (6/8/2008 UTC) at Cafe Rouge in Greenwich, Greater London United Kingdom

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Used as part of the reveal or steal game played at the Greenwich meet. 

Journal Entry 19 by rahar109 from Farnborough, Hampshire United Kingdom on Sunday, June 08, 2008

Won in the bookswap at the Greenwich Lazy Sunday meet today. 

Journal Entry 20 by rahar109 from Farnborough, Hampshire United Kingdom on Sunday, January 25, 2009

Mt Tbr's far too high, going to move this one on. 

Journal Entry 21 by rahar109 at The Cherry Tree OBCZ in Steventon, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Friday, January 30, 2009

Released 3 yrs ago (1/31/2009 UTC) at The Cherry Tree OBCZ in Steventon, Oxfordshire United Kingdom

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To be taken to the meet-up tomorrow afternoon.

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