The Power and the Glory
by Graham Greene · first published 1940
54% recommend46% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Gripping thriller about a fugitive priest hunted in revolutionary Mexico, raising moral questions within strong storytelling. It is one of the best novels and stays with the reader long after finishing.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
One of Greene’s most powerful novels, the book takes as its theme the era of religious suppression in Mexico during the early 1930’s. An unnamed Catholic priest, an alcoholic with a shameful past in search of either oblivion or redemption, travels through Mexico administering the rites of the church to the poor landless peasants, hunted by a remorseless police officer and always in fear of being betrayed by those he is attempting to help.
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Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
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Just about any Graham Greene book: The Power and the Glory. The Quiet American, The Ministry of Fear, The Comedians, Our Man in Havana etc.
on “Ask HN: What are some great fiction reads for someone that reads non-fiction” ↗Many people have a book they read in their teens that changed their outlook. For some it's 1984. For me it was Greene's "The Power and the Glory". It, and the questions it raised, are still with me. Monsignor Quixote I can also recommend. The others I read I have forgotten, except for Brighton Rock which I didn't like. As a sibling commenter…
on “Unmasking Graham Greene” ↗That was a lengthy, but nice article/review about someone that I didn't know of before. Not strictly similar, but this brings to my mind Graham Greene's masterpiece, The Power and the Glory, and his 'whisky priest'. Easily one of the best novels that I've ever read, so highly recommended to give it a look.
on “The ambiguous witness of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2014)” ↗Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene
on “Ask HN: Please name two of your most favorite books.” ↗The power and the glory by Graham Greene. Crime and punishment by Dostoevsky.
on “Ask HN: What are some must read books?” ↗It's a powerful book, I certainly recommend it. Also his book about a priest on the run in Mexico, the Power and the Glory. He's truly a great author and teller of strong stories.
on “Our Graham Greene in Havana” ↗…clear-cut as he made out). Some personal favourites: England Made Me: Interestingly enough for a novel written in 1935, about multinationals. Brighton Rock: A vicious little tale of a small-town thug. The Power and The Glory: A very, very catholic novel, but also a cracking thriller. The End of the Affair: Another very catholic novel, but also very different. The Quiet American: Hard to express exactly how good this one…
on “The paradox of Graham Greene” ↗Agreed on Greene bring a great author and story teller! Of all the Greene texts I've read, I had mixed feelings about The Power and the Glory when I read it a decade or so ago. I imagine if prior to picking it up I had read more about the historical context it is set in, I would've gotten more out of it. For a thoroughly enjoyable read I'd…
on “Our Graham Greene in Havana” ↗Not the OP, but there is also a brief mention of Esperanto in "The Power and The Glory". As to why, I'm not sure of any direct connection of Greene to Esperanto or other constructed languages, but he was a friend of George Orwell, whose aunt was the girlfriend of Eugene Lanti, an Esperantist…
on “Unmasking Graham Greene” ↗…World War. Kim Philby, who would later be revealed as a Soviet agent, was Greene's supervisor and friend at MI6. Greene resigned from MI6 in 1944. > ..In 1953, the Holy Office informed Greene that The Power and the Glory was damaging to the reputation of the priesthood; but later, in a private audience with Greene, Pope Paul VI told him that, although parts of his novels would offend some Catholics, he should ignore the…
on “Ian McEwan and the Mess of Living” ↗[2] Collison? (not to be confused with Collinson) funny, I just learned about Greene's The Power and the Glory courtesy of Minister (as he was then) Hacker; I'll be reminded of HGG next time I'm passing through Vevey. Lagniappe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Sf0htzbMKk EDIT: [the basic problem with teleology…
on “Silicon Valley is an aristocratic culture” ↗This discussion reminds me a beautiful sentence I read in 'The Power and the Glory' by Graham Greene: "Hope is an instinct that only the reasoning human mind can kill."
on “What you need to know about EMP weapons” ↗…Search Of Lost Time. However, it says none of my friends have read it. Well, of course not - I don't have any Booqsi friends yet. So, there's just nothing I can do on this page. Next I looked for The Power And The Glory. At least this page has a summary of the book. But, also none of my friends read it, and there's nothing I can do here. Next, Consilience. Same thing. Basically I search for a book, I get maybe nothing,…
on “Show HN: A more social, Amazon-free alternative to Goodreads” ↗…have been a better experience for everyone concerned if more than one person had done the reading, but that was not realistic on the assumption that Ulysses can be polished off in the same time as The Power and the Glory.
on “Most book clubs are doing it wrong (2017)” ↗