Graham Greene
Although the 24th Graham Greene International Festival, scheduled for 28 September to 1 October, is still several months away, preparations are proceeding apace.
Some of the social events will be familiar to regular attendees, including the supper and film in the Town Hall on the Thursday night, the Greene Birthday Toast on the Saturday afternoon, the dinner in the historic Old Hall (with its famous ‘green baize door’) and the final get together at lunch on the Sunday – not to mention the traditional Graham Greene Common walk and the chance to view Berkhamsted School’s Greene archive.
However, the list of speakers and topics are always eagerly anticipated. This year, new festival director Professor Richard Greene of Toronto University (Richard, author of the authoritative biography of GG, Russian Roulette, on the left in the picture right above), has already put together an intriguing programme
Here is a preview:
Charlotte Philby (grand-daughter of the famous spy, Kim) will talk about her new book Edith and Kim, which should link neatly with historian Professor Scott Newton’s subject, ‘Re-considering Kim Philby’.
Kevin Ruane, who has spoken at festivals in the past, will consider the film adaptations made of one of Greene’s most famous novels ‘Shooting Alden Pyle: Graham Greene’s The Quiet American on the Big Screen’. Again, this talk dovetails perfectly with a screening of the controversial 1957 film of the novel which will be introduced by Mike Hill.
Mike Hill and Creina Mansfield will be discussing Graham Greene and Anthony Burgess on Sunday morning – an uneasy relationship between two literary ‘giants’ of the later years of the 20th Century.
Matthew Butler, Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Austin, is a specialist on the history of modern Mexico. His recent archival investigations uncovered correspondence by the real ‘whisky priest’, the central character of Greene’s most famous novel The Power and the Glory.
There is much more on the programme which is not listed here. So, watch this page for a full listing which will appear shortly. Or, if you are not a friend of the Graham Greene Birthplace Trust, why not join and get our quarterly newsletter sent to your home. This month’s A Sort of Newletter includes the official programme (pictured above). Details about joining are on the Membership Page.
