The Heart of the MatterThe Heart of the Matter
Score Classic
What it's about
Major Henry Scobie is a police officer in a British colony in West Africa during the Second World War, honest, Catholic and burdened by pity for everyone, especially his unhappy wife. When he's passed over for promotion, he borrows money to send her away from the colony, and the small compromises that follow, a loan from a smuggler and an affair with a young widow, lead him toward despair.
Why it's worth reading
It's on both the TIME and Modern Library lists of the best novels. It's Greene's deepest novel about faith and pity, and its ending is unforgettable.
You'll love it if you liked
The Power and the Glory
Brideshead Revisited
To Kill a MockingbirdGood to know
It's sad, with Catholic theology at its center. It ends in suicide.
By the numbers
- Readers38 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics83 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller12 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Graham Greene
The Power and the Glory
The End of the Affair
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Lonesome Dove
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Sophie's Choice
Rebecca
The Brothers Karamazov
The Thorn BirdsExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is The Heart of the Matter worth reading?
Yes. It's on both the TIME and Modern Library lists of the best novels. It ranks #1,052 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 72.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Heart of the Matter about?
Major Henry Scobie is a police officer in a British colony in West Africa during the Second World War, honest, Catholic and burdened by pity for everyone, especially his unhappy wife. When he's passed over for promotion, he borrows money to send her away from the colony, and the small compromises that follow, a loan from a smuggler and an affair with a young widow, lead him toward despair.
How long does it take to read The Heart of the Matter?
About 7 hours (272 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Heart of the Matter?
If you liked it, try The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene, Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh or To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.