Power, Glory, Sickness, Death

After much delay, I have finally finished reading my first Graham Greene novel, The Power and the Glory, and it lived up to all the hype. I wouldn't say that Greene is a master wordsmith but his simple style is very effective and I particularly enjoyed his imagery. What really made it all worthwhile for me was his commentary on the human condition, understated yet moving: the dichotomy of the strength and weakness of man, the interconnectedness of all people, the burden of sin and despair, etc. The whiskey priest is a fascinating character, pressing on even against his will at the call of his vocation yet humbled to nothing by the weight of the failures of his past. The scenes with his daughter are truly heartbreaking, "seeing his own mortal sin look back at him" through her eyes yet unable to repent because of his overwhelming love for her. I believe that Graham Greene is famous for toeing lines like this in matters of faith and if that's true, you can sign me up for a whole lot more.

But now on to some serious reading. Kierkegaard's The Sickness Unto Death has sat on my shelf long enough and now must be read. It was recommended to me by an esteemed source as "nothing short of a diagnostic manual of the human spirit," so I will be thoroughly disappointed if I am anything less than completely overwhelmed. It should be an appropriate follow-up to the Graham Greene and I have the feeling that it might be a good choice to read during Lent. Time will tell.