Today we commemorate the birthday of English writer, playwright and literary critic Graham Greene. Greene’s works delved into the ambivalent moral and political issues of contemporary culture, and his works were permeated by Catholic religious themes, as seen in his major novels Brighton Rock, The Power and the Glory, The Heart of the Matter and The End of the Affair.
Greene suffered from bipolar disorder, which combined with his Catholic ideals and avid interest in international espionage and political intrigue, had a profound effect on his writing and personal life, as seen in works such as The Confidential Agent, The Third Man, The Quiet American, Our Man in Havana and The Human Factor. Greene was runner-up behind Ivo Andrić for the 1961 Nobel Prize in Literature.
The University of Tulsa’s Department of Special Collections and University Archives holds the Graham Greene Papers, which consist of 24 letters between Graham Greene and Vivien Greene; between Vivien Greene and her solicitors, Dorothy Glover (Craigie), Marion Greene (ex mother-in-law), Maud Greene (Graham Greene’s aunt), and others; and dates from 1948-1962. Included are a photograph album containing snaps of the Greene’s honeymoon and other travels; a signed autograph draft translation of Our Man in Havana and The Quiet American by Francis Greene (Graham Greene’s son); and a carbon copy typescript play adaptation of The Quiet American in Russian.