Book Inspiration: “The Heart of the Matter”

My Book Club's latest book pick was The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene. It's another British one, this time set in a West African coastal town during World War II. And I usually dig a war novel in a colonial setting. But this time, I ended up a bit bored and frustrated with its immature main character--an aging, cowardly police officer drowning in Catholic guilt who is really only guilty of being an extreme people-pleaser.

So, okay, I can't whole-heartedly recommend it (I'd give it a 6 out of 10). Nevertheless, I am glad I read it--Greene is a lovely writer (he also wrote The End of the Affair) and some of his imagery has definitely stayed with me. Here's a few that stuck out--hoping you like them a little more than I liked the book!

"He thought of a home, a permanent home: the gay artistic curtains, the bookshelves full of Louise's books...."

Slim book rack by Marianne van Ooij

"Although they could touch each other it was as if the whole coastline of a continent was already between them; their words were like the stilted sentences of a bad letter-writer."Large Initials Personalized Modern Stationery Flat Card by Red Stamp

"Scobie went out into the dripping darkness holding his big striped umbrella: a mackintosh was too hot to wear."

Ladies' Maglia Umbrella at manufactum.com

"What had happened in the mauve and orange room had been too important to become part of the enormous equal past."

Untitled (Mauve and Orange) 1961 by Mark Rothko, reproduction at soho-art.com

"She put her lips to the bandage and left a little smear of orange lipstick."

SEVEN January No.03 print from irisschwarz at etsy.com

Images linked to their sources