Seeds of Fiction: Graham Greene's Adventures in Haiti and Central America 1954 - 1983 - Softcover

Bernard Diederich

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0720615534 ISBN 13: 9780720615531

Publisher: Peter Owen Publishers

Synopsis

Now in paperback, a major new biography of Graham Greene with extensive new material; exclusive, never-before-seen photographs of Greene on his travels; and full family cooperation

An essential read for fans of literary biography, this book fully illuminates a pivotal episode in Graham Greene's life and career in the kind of detail that will sate any fans of his work, but which also provides a fascinating glimpse into a writer's life. In 1965, Greene joined journalist Bernard Diederich in the Dominican Republic to embark on a tour of its border with Haiti, then ruled by "Papa Doc" Duvalier. They were accompanied by activist priest Jean-Claude Bajeux. Diederich had known Greene since the mid-1950s and had lived in Haiti for 14 years. A seasoned correspondent for the British and North American press, he had reported many stories from the region, including Castro's triumph in Cuba and the death of the Dominican dictator, Trujillo. In 1963, he had been thrown out of Haiti and when Greene arrived was working from the Dominican Republic. The famous novelist was 61 and depressed, having struggled to finish A Burnt-Out Case, and was being plagued by religious doubt; Bajeux, meanwhile, had been informed that his family had been "disappeared" by Duvalier's henchmen. As this trio traveled along the border they met a number of rebels and other characters later fictionalized in Greene's most politically charged novel, The Comedians, published the following year. This book tells the story of how a series of extraordinary and often hair-raising journeys gave one of the greatest novelists of the 20th century new inspiration in his writing.

About this title

About the Author

Bernard Diederich is a journalist, originally from New Zealand, who launched the English-language weekly newspaper the Haiti Sun in 1950, and subsequently became the resident correspondent for the Associated Press, the New York Times, the Time-Life News Service, and London's Daily Telegraph. In 1963, as a result of his courageous reporting, Diederich was arrested by Papa Doc's Tontons-Makouts, imprisoned, and ultimately expelled from the country. In exile in the Dominican Republic, he was staff foreign correspondent for the Time-Life News service. Richard Greene is an associate professor at the University of Toronto and the editor of Graham Greene: A Life in Letters. He lives in Cobourg, Ontario. Pico Iyer is an essayist and novelist whose books include The Man Within My Head and The Open Road. He writes for such publications as Harper's, New York Review of Books, and Time.

Review

"In this engaging account of a longstanding literary friendship, former Time correspondent Diederich delivers a finely crafted reflection on his years traveling with famed novelist Graham Greene. . . . Graham's exuberance is captured thrillingly."  —Publishers Weekly

"This is a perfect match of subject and author. Bernie Diederich has captured the passion for journalism and politics that made his friend Graham Greene such a powerful novelist."  —Walter Isaccson, author of Steve Jobs

About this edition

• Publisher: Peter Owen Publishers
• ISBN 10: 0720615534
• ISBN 13: 9780720615531
• Binding: Paperback