The Power and the Glory Audiobook By Graham Greene cover art

The Power and the Glory

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Graham Greene explores corruption and atonement in this penetrating novel set in 1930s Mexico during the era of Communist religious persecutions. As revolutionaries determine to stamp out the evils of the church through violence, the last Roman Catholic priest is on the lam, hunted by a police lieutenant. Despite his own sense of worthlessness—he is a heavy drinker and has fathered an illegitimate child—he is determined to continue to function as a priest until captured. He is contrasted with Padre Jose, a priest who has accepted marriage and embodies humiliation.

A Christian parable pitting God and religion against 20th-century materialism, The Power and the Glory is considered by many, including the author himself, to be Greene’s best work.

©1940, 1962, 1968 by Graham Greene (P)1990 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Historical Fiction Classics

Critic reviews

“As brilliantly written as it is magnificently conceived.” (Chicago Sun)
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I have read that Graham Green felt that he wrote two kinds of books, serious ones and those that were "entertainments". "The Power and the Glory" is unquestionably in the serious category. Reviews of the book have tended to dwell heavily on its rootedness in the author's struggle with his Catholic ideals

A brilliant and devastating story, well told.

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Although not his best known, this is probably Greene's best, and certainly most powerful, book, depicting the holiness of a priest who does know know he is holy, and in fact believes the opposite is true. Well worth listening to!

Probably Greene's best book

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This is a story of faith and human nature. The journey both physical and spiritual of the Priest.

An almost religious text

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This story was very intriguing, but it took a long time to get into. It transitions between characters and families without introduction.

Character list:
Whiskey priest: main character but unnamed.

Padre Jose: a cowardly married priest

Fellows Family: Banana farmers who hide the whisky priest.

Half-caste: a homeless guy who is a sort of a Judas type person.

Mr Tench: a dentist with stomach ailments. He befriends the whiskey priest.

Luis and his family: this is a 14 year old boy whose mother is a Christian and reads her children books about martyrdom .

Lehr brother and sister: Lutherans who house and nurse the whiskey priest while he is sick.

The Lieutenant: a kind but anti religious man. He is on the hunt to obliterate priests.

This is pretty much who you need to know. All these people have stories going on at the same time and The author switches between them.

Wonderful story after the first few hours

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Amazing story, dripping with humanity, extremely well read. It really draws you in and by the end you’re fully in its grasp.

Outstanding!

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