Another of Greene’s intricate moral landscapes, where corrupt characters might still be capable of goodness and virtuous ones indulge their virtues murderously. The central figure is a “whisky priest,” on the run in Mexico in the 1930’s, during years when the Catholic Church was being suppressed by the Mexican government. The priest, never named, is being pursued by an unnamed police lieutenant, a ruthless idealist who will not hesitate to take hostages from every village where the fugitive priest might stop and shoot them if the priest’s visit is not reported. Guilt-ridden, always craving alcohol — at one point he downs the communion wine — the priest manages all the same to carry out his duties on the road and to perform small acts of grace, even the ones that seal his fate. Those did not turn out to be enough for the Vatican. Thirteen years after this book was published, the Church condemned it and insisted that Greene make changes. A sincere Catholic but also a dextrous operator, he replied that the copyright belonged to his publishers.
All-TIME 100 Novels
Critics Lev Grossman and Richard Lacayo pick the 100 best English-language novels published since 1923—the beginning of TIME.
The Power and the Glory
Full List
Making the List
A - B
- The Adventures of Augie March
- All the King’s Men
- American Pastoral
- An American Tragedy
- Animal Farm
- Appointment in Samarra
- Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
- The Assistant
- At Swim-Two-Birds
- Atonement
- Beloved
- The Berlin Stories
- The Big Sleep
- The Blind Assassin
- Blood Meridian
- Brideshead Revisited
- The Bridge of San Luis Rey
C - D
F - G
H - I
L - N
O - R
S - T
U - W
About the List
Your Opinion