The Heart Of the Matter
by Greene, Graham
Graham Greene’s The Heart of the Matter, set in an unnamed West African colony towards the end of World War II, is loosely based on the author’s own experience as a British intelligence officer in Sierra Leone. The novel’s protagonist, Henry Scobie, struggles to make his miserable wife happy. In the process, Scobie begins to wonder if any individual can truly make another happy, resulting in a life-changing moral crisis.
The Heart of the Matter, an insightful exploration of pity, suffering, religion, and responsibility, quickly became extremely popular, having sold more than 300,000 copies upon publication. The novel was critically acclaimed and received many favorable reviews. In 1948, The Heart of the Matter was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction and it was shortlisted for the Best of the James Tait Black awardees in 2012. The novel is ranked 40th on Modern Library’s “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century and is also listed on TIME’s “100 Best Novels” (since 1923).
First Edition Identification
William Heinemann first published The Heart of the Matter in London in 1948. Bound in dark blue cloth, the 297-page first edition states “First Published 1948” on the copyright page with no additional printings listed. The original dust jack is red with darkened corners and white text.
Other Collectible or Notable Editions
The Viking Press published the first US edition of The Heart of the Matter later in 1948.
Available Copies
The Heart of the Matter
by Graham Greene
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1948
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Naperville, Illinois, USA
- Item Price
-
A$77.70
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The Heart of the Matter
by GREENE GRAHAM
- Condition
- Used
- Jacket Condition
- Dust Jacket
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 1948
- Binding
- Hard Cover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Leicester, GBR
- Item Price
-
A$1,558.12
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The Heart of the Matter
by Greene, Graham
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- No Jacket
- Edition
- First British Paperback Printing
- Published
- 1962
- Binding
- Paperback
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Campbell River, British Columbia, CAN
- Item Price
-
A$31.00
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The Heart of the Matter
by Greene, Graham
- Condition
- Used - Near fine 1st edition with unclipped d/j, little evidence of being read, so binding is tight and pages crisp. Slight foxing on e
- Edition
- 1st
- Published
- 1948
- Binding
- Hardback
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Maidenhead, Berkshire, GBR
- Item Price
-
A$362.58
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The Heart of the Matter.
by Greene, Graham
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1948
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Palm Beach, Florida, USA
- Item Price
-
A$8,547.55
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The Heart of the Matter
by Graham Greene
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Edition
- First edition
- Published
- 1948
- Binding
- Cloth
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
BATH, Somerset, GBR
- Item Price
-
A$88.20
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The Heart of the Matter
by Greene, Graham
- Condition
- Used
- Edition
- First Edition; First Printing
- Published
- 1948
- Binding
- Sewn binding is square and tight.
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Maysville, Georgia, USA
- Item Price
-
A$310.82
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The Heart of the Matter
by GREENE GRAHAM
- Condition
- Used
- Jacket Condition
- Dust Jacket
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 1948
- Binding
- Hard Cover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Leicester, GBR
- Item Price
-
A$2,841.86
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The Heart of the Matter
by Greene, Graham
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- No Jacket
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 1948
- Binding
- Hard Cover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
-
A$43.51
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The Heart of the Matter
by Graham Greene
- Condition
- Used - Very Good Minus
- Edition
- 1st Edition
- Published
- 1948
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Tarrington, Herefordshire, GBR
- Item Price
-
A$168.55
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THE HEART OF THE MATTER
by Greene, Graham
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- (1948)
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Middletown, Maryland, USA
- Item Price
-
A$699.34
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The Heart of the Matter
by Graham Greene
- Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Near Fine
- Published
- 1948
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Tomball, Texas, USA
- Item Price
-
A$621.64
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The Heart Of The Matter
by Graham Greene
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Jacket Condition
- Acceptable Jacket
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 1951
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Devizes, Wiltshire, GBR
- Item Price
-
A$18.11
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The Heart of the Matter
by Greene, Graham
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1/1/1948
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Shaker Heights, Ohio, USA
- Item Price
-
A$101.02
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The Heart of the Matter
by Graham Greene
- Condition
- Used - Very good +
- Jacket Condition
- missing
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 1948
- Binding
- Cloth
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Gridley, California, USA
- Item Price
-
A$132.10
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The Heart of the Matter - a superb copy
by Greene, Graham
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1948
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Harrogate, North Yorkshire, GBR
- Item Price
-
A$2,449.88
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What's Happened to Politics ? **SIGNED**
by Rae, Bob
- Condition
- Used - Fine+
- Jacket Condition
- Fine
- Edition
- 1st Edition, 3rd Printing 3rd Printing
- Published
- 2015
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10
- 1501103415
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Lyndhurst, Ontario, CAN
- Item Price
-
A$116.56
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The Heart of the Matter (Essential Penguin Paperback)
by Greene, Graham
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN 10
- 0140278753
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
-
A$1.96
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The Heart of the Matter
by Graham Greene
- Condition
- Used - Poor
- Jacket Condition
- No Jacket
- Edition
- Book Club Edition
- Published
- 1948
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Decatur, Georgia, USA
- Item Price
-
A$1.55
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The Heart of the Matter.
by Greene, Graham
- Condition
- Used
- Published
- 1948
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Palm Beach, Florida, USA
- Item Price
-
A$543.94