The Quiet American:
Written by: Graham
Greene
Narrated by: Joseph Porter
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Time: 6 Hours 46 Minutes
Alden Pyle, an idealistic young American, is sent
to Vietnam to promote democracy amidst the intrigue and violence of the French
war with the Vietminh. His friend Fowler, a cynical foreign correspondent,
looks on but soon finds it difficult to remain simply an observer. Fowler’s
mistress, a beautiful native girl, creates a catalyst for jealousy and
competition between the men and a cultural clash resulting in bloodshed and
deep misgivings.
Written in 1955 prior to the Vietnam conflict, The
Quiet American foreshadows the events leading up to the war. Questions
surrounding the moral ambiguity of the involvement of the United States in
foreign countries are as relevant today as they were fifty years ago.