The Last Word and Other Stories
Reinhardt Books, 1990. Item #82133
First Edition. Near Fine book in a Near Fine dust jacket.“The Last Word and Other Stories” by Graham Greene is a collection of short stories that showcase the author’s trademark style—introspective, morally complex, and often tinged with political or theological themes. Published in 1988, this volume includes twelve stories, many written late in Greene’s life.
Key Highlights:
• Title Story – “The Last Word”: A dystopian tale set in a future where Christianity has been virtually eradicated and the last Pope is kept alive for symbolic purposes. The story grapples with faith, martyrdom, and resistance under authoritarian rule.
• Other stories in the collection explore themes of betrayal, spiritual doubt, redemption, and the shadow of political regimes, often with Greene’s signature moral ambiguity.
• The stories span a range of settings and styles, from post-colonial landscapes to intimate psychological portraits.
Tone and Style:
Greene blends suspense with deep philosophical questions, often exploring the tension between good and evil. His prose is restrained yet penetrating, and even in short form, his characters are vivid and troubled.
Notable Themes:
• Faith vs. atheism
• Individual conscience under totalitarianism
• Lost love and human frailty
• The persistence (or decline) of spiritual values
This book is especially valued by fans of Greene’s later work and those interested in how he addressed contemporary concerns—especially religious and political ones—in compact, elegant narratives.
Price: $25.00