A formidable 12 cousins, from two brothers, settled in Hertfordshire, hogged more than their share of newspaper space in mid-20th century. They were the Greene family, the most prominent member of which is Graham Greene, the multi-faceted personality, known most of all as a writer. Graham was the son of Charles Greene, the headmaster of the school in the town. Graham had five other siblings. At the other end of the town was settled Edward Greene, a rich coffee merchant, who had six children.
They all grew up “in varying degrees of intimacy and friendship.” This gripping group biography of the family Shades of Greene by Jeremy Lewis has profiled the family, interweaving their stories, into an interesting account. At least eight of the 12 cousins lead extraordinary lives. Graham, of course, was an iconic writer. Hugh was a journalist and went on to become director-general of BBC, Ben, swung from extreme Left to father the far-right British People’s Party, Elisabeth worked for the British secret service in Cairo, Barbara travelled through Liberia and lived two war years in Nazi Germany, Felix, rubbing shoulders with Aldous Huxley founded a spiritual retreat and championed the cause of China. Raymond was a committed mountaineer, came near the summit of Mt Everest in 1933. Hebert, generally considered an average in a brilliant family, was the black sheep, spying for Japan and Spain and a drunkard. Eva, Edward and Katherine were the ones who led quiet lives.
Felix was deeply impressed by J Krishnamurti, who lived at Ojai, in California. According to Felix, Huxley thought “Krishnamurti ‘the wisest and most enlightened man he had ever met.’ Felix acknowledged how the Indian sage had ‘really shifted my thoughts and direction in life’ and enabled him ‘to see through mystical religion and all the hoo-ha about searching for god.’ Felix was totally taken up with China and propounded its cause. He compared “China favourably with India, which seemed hopelessly poverty-stricken, over-populated and caste-ridden. Felix visited India in 1959 and told Elena (his wife), apropos the poor of India that “there is no flow of sympathy that runs between these people like there runs between the poor of China.”
According to the book, Krishna Menon arranged for Felix to meet Nehru, “but it was not a success.” “I think he got nothing from me at all” Felix reported home. ‘I left Nehru feeling that I had failed – that I had wasted the time of a very great and busy man” he said. Interesting.
The book, despite apprehensions, is not a ‘yet another biography’ of Graham Greene, the much written about man. On the other hand, it directs the spotlight on the other Greenes, meshing their stories with the contemporary news and history. Not being chronological has added a definite charm to the narration. The book offers a thoroughly enjoyable reading. There are photographs and extensive notes and bibliography that are value-adds. The author Jeremy Lewis belongs to the literary world, involved in editing and publishing all his life. He has authored a three-part autobiography and written biographies of Cyril Connolly, Tobias Smollett and Allen Lane. -RB
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