Reviews for Der stille Amerikaner (The Quiet American)

The average rating for Der stille Amerikaner (The Quiet American) based on 2 reviews is 5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2014-09-22 00:00:00 Dan Dinelt December 2020: After some thought I decided to upgrade my rating to 5*. I've been praising this novel for some time and I do not understand why I only gave it 4stars. This is a cautionary tale about the involvement of America and Britain in the French War in Vietnam. Reading this book was a great way to learn more about the First Indochina War. The two main characters are symbols of the American and British participation in Vietnam. The British does not want to get involved in the war, and he is deluding himself that he is only an indifferent spectator. Pyle, the American, represents the idealistic principles that the Americas brought in the Vietnam war and the lack of guilt for the damage they had created by their innocent causes. "Innocence is a kind of insanity" "Innocence always calls mutely for protection when we would be so much wiser to guard ourselves against it: innocence is like a dumb leper who has lost his bell, wandering the world, meaning no harm." One of the conclusions of the books is that "Sooner or later...one has to take sides. If one is to remain human." Another is somehow similar to the other book that I was reading in the same time, Blindness. It is about people's ignorance to human suffering, futility of life and the permanence of death. This is the first book I read by Greene and it won't be the last. I enjoyed his subtle tone.

Review # 2 was written on 2013-10-19 00:00:00 Lisa Deutsch I never knew a man who had better motives for all the trouble he caused. I assume that everyone for once in own life had to face such a moment that, though convinced about doing the right thing, felt nevertheless poorly and uncomfortably. How is it possible, we asked then, we acted righteously so why such bad feeling, such turbulence in our mind? We did a good choice so why this bile that fills our mouths? Why that need to rationalize our deeds? There was no other way, we say. But really? And this is a feeling Graham Greene leaves me with almost every time. Something that still bothers and troubles me and pours cold water over me, my whole self - confidence and well-being. Because no matter how much we abide by our principles and sense of morality we constantly collide with the concept of the lesser evil and the common good, in short with situations that allow us or even encourage to justify our actions or omissions. And so is Thomas Fowler, somewhat cynical English reporter, for years residing in the East, whose life motto is to be not engaged . But is it really possibly to live without being involved? Thomas seems to care only for a few things in his life: willing body of young mistress in his bed and some pipes of opium to detach himself not only from the outside world, the whole thing takes place in the fifties during French-Vietnamese war, but also from own conscience. And one day in this more or less organized world enters the title quiet American, young and naïve impregnably armored by his good intentions and his ignorance Alden Pyle, with his head stuffed with bookish knowledge and mouth packed with platitude on democracy and justice. He comes with his sense of mission to save the world and by the way of course falls in love with Fowler's mistress. One could say that it is a banal situation only wrapped up in exotic costume and cast in some unusual scenery to add some spice. You couldn't be more wrong since this collision of East with West, old with new, that clash between youth and maturity, experience and naivety Greene played masterfully. And in the end neither youthful idealism of Pyle nor disillusioned stoicism of Fowler allows anyone to remain nonaligned. There is always that moment one must espouse whose side we are on. Because in fact, no matter how much we turn our eyes and try to stay neutral, even though we choose our own side, it is always a pure act of being irretrievably engaged.