DOCTOR FISCHER OF GENEVA OR THE BOMB PARTY BY GRAHAM GREENE

In this post, I shall review Doctor Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party, a novel by Graham Greene, an English novelist. Published in 1980,  Doctor Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party could be described as a psychological thriller. It was adapted to film in 1984, and was at that time the most expensive television film shot in Britain. I have not seen that adaptation, so my review today shall focus solely on the novel. I acquired the copy of this novel in a somewhat secret antique shop in Split (that is basically more of a basement with books, but it is very cool). Having read Green before, my expectations for this novel were high. Were my expectations met? You will find out soon enough.

This was my second novel by this writer. The first novel of his that I read was The End of the Affair.  Greene was a prolific novelist, and many of his novels were adapted to screen, starting with Stambul Train that was adapted as Orient Express. The End of the Affair was adapted to film as well. We actually studied that adaptation and compared it to the book back when I was a student. So, that is one adaptation I can actually comment on, and I can say that I consider it to be very successful. 

Green was both a popular and acclaimed writer, and he wrote both 'serious' novels focusing on philosophical topics and 'entertainment' thrillers. Greene himself made the distinction between the two, considering thrillers to be entertainment, rather than literature. Greene certainly had literary talent and acclaim, being nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature several times. He might not had won the Novel prize for literature, but he won the Shakespeare prize and the Jerusalem prize. Indeed, Graham Green is considered by some to be one of the greatest English novelist of the twentieth century. 

The distinction between entertainment writing and literature is quite evident in the two novels of his that I read. The End of The Affair is clearly literature, as it delivers complex psychological portraits of characters and focuses on the eternal topics of love, empathy, identity and humanity. On the other hand, Doctor Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party is more entertainment than literature. Albeit captivating and intelligently written, Doctor Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party is not the kind of novel that digs too deep or examines the human condition in a profound way. However, it still offers a food for the thought and examines the psychological condition of its characters. In other words, it is not your typical entertainment thriller, and it definitely offers more than suspense and excitement. 

When I say that this novel is captivating, I really mean it. Doctor Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party is a page turner for sure! Once I started reading this novel, I simply could not stop. I took my lovely vintage copy of the novel to the beach with me. My outfit was vintage as well, featuring a vintage green top and a vintage (second hand) scarf that I styled as a pareo. We love all things vintage on this blog, as you might know: vintage writers, book and clothes.

Anyhow, I simply couldn't put this book down. My Argentinian colleague Agustina snapped a few photographs of me with the novel. We went to the beach during our break. Our breaks were quite short, so I did not have much time. Still, somehow I managed to read most of the novel at the beach. I even took it with me to dinner. I managed to finish this novel before our evening work shift started. I basically read it in two hours or less. Maybe even in an hour. So, the novel definitely enchanted me. 

Of course, I could see right away that it is not the same kind of novel as The End of the Affair, but it was great in its own right. Doctor Fisher of Geneva or The Bomb Party is such a well written thriller. It dives straight into the story and it is not overwritten. In fact, the author seems to be using as little sentences and words as possible. This is not a long novel, and it easy to follow it. The narrative is pretty straightforward, with only a few digressions and hints for future developments along the way. All in all, it is a masterfully written thriller that is filled with social satire!

Say hello to Ina (that's how I named her), one of the extra large felines of Val hotel in Seget Donji

So, who is the narrator of the novel?  What is the narrator like? The narrator is also the protagonist of the novel, a man named Alfred Jones. His life story is not a happy one, and I always felt like there is a dose of sadness in his narration. As a reader, one can feel empathy for him. Alfred Jones is a widower in his fifties, and an ex-fireman. Currently, he seems to be living a lonely life in Switzerland, working as a translator for a successful and profitable chocolate company. However, Alfred is not from Switzerland, he is in fact an Englishman. 

How did he become a translator? How did he end up in Switzerland? If I recall well, our narrator mentions something about having parents who worked in diplomacy or something of the sorts. At any rate, Jones is good with languages. He's also an invalid having lost his left hand years ago. In the novel we find out that Alfred was on duty during the Blitz, and the memories of that terrible night still haunt him. Maybe Alfred is in Switzerland to escape from his past. He also has to earn a living, and his job, although nothing especially profitable, is enough to sustain not only Alfred but one more person.

Yes, there is another person that enters the story. A meeting that happened quite by chance. One of those coincidences that sometimes shape lives. Alfred ends up sharing a table in a busy restaurant. A young lady is waiting for a sandwich, and they strike a conversation. While retelling the story of their chance meeting, Alfred said that perhaps it was his hand (or rather the lack of his hand) that made her stay for she did not want him to think it was the reason for her not to sit at the same table. Who is she? Her name is Anna-Luise and she is a beautiful girl more than young enough to be his daughter. 

Alfred tells us that Anna- Louise asked him about his hand directly. She does not pretend that it is not there, and sneaks a look when he is not looking, as other people do. Alfred wears a glove of some kind, but it is obvious his hand is not there. Anyway, Anna-Luise asks a direct question and he gives her a direct answer. They strike a conversation, and mutual sympathy is born, a sympathy that will grow into something more. 

Anna-Luise is single and Jones is a widower when he meets her. Seemingly, there is nothing preventing them from exploring their emotions. The two seem to hit it off. In a way, they are both quite lonely. Apart from the age difference, there is also a class difference. Anna-Luise introduces herself right away, so from the start Alfred is aware that she comes from wealth. Certainly, Alfred is startled by her last name- one that apparently everyone in Switzerland knows. Anna-Luise's last name is Fisher, and her father is extremely wealthy. However, Anna-Luise claims that she her father does not care about her at all. Should Alfred be worried? Alfred Jones wonders what Anna-Luise sees in him, but as he gets to meet her more, he grows more and more attached. It is hard not to fall for Anna-Luise, she seems an angelic young woman, a kind and gentle soul.

Anna-Luise's father, on the other hand, is quite notorious. There is aura of mystery to the eponymous Dr Fischer, an inventor of toothpaste. Alfred wonders about this man who became extremely rich after inventing a perfumed toothpaste. Anna- Luise does not want to have anything with his father. Alfred does not care about the money, of course, but he feels like he should at least meet this doctor Fisher. Anna-Luise leaves her 'palace' and moves in with Alfred Jones. He gives up on her heiress life without much thinking.  Naturally, Alfred is curious. Alfred knows that doctor Fisher dinner parties are famous around Geneva, even if nobody really knows what happens at them. Doctor Fisher seems to have a small group of 'friends' that he regularly dines. Anna-Luise says these dinners are dreadful and that she never attends. Alfred is worried, but he is also thrilled that there is a beautiful young woman that seems so much in love with him. He does not question their relationship too much, and they get married after only a short time of knowing one another. Their courtship was a brief one, and just like that, the two of them are married and living together. The oddest thing is that they seem to be actually quite happy. 

 What did I think of this couple? Well, honestly their love seemed sincere enough. Maybe they are just two lonely people finding kindness in one another. Maybe Anna-Luise identified Alfred as someone who is a kind person, different from the people she was surrounded with. Maybe she sensed that Alfred does not care that much about the money, that he is a decent person all-round. Both of them are quite alone in this world. Anna-Luise's mother died, and the details of that story we shall find out soon enough. Similarly, Alfred Jones is quite alone in this world, a widower with no children living in a foreign country. Both of them are isolated in a way, Anna-Luise by her wealth and Alfred by his handicap. 

While Anna-Luise insists that Alfred is all she needs, all the family she needs, Alfred is not convinced or rather he feels a sense of duty. Anna-Luise does have a parent, and he feels the duty to go and talk with that parent, even if she urges him not to. As far as Alfred is concerned, it is his duty as a husband to talk to the father of his bride and to meet him. Anna-Luise begs him not to go, saying how her father corrupts people. Just like that, there's a shadow above their happy marriage. The shadow of doctor Fisher is ruining their happiness. That is how Alfred describes it. As he narrates the tale of his life, we also occasionally get small glimpses into the future. However, these glimpses are more hints than anything else. For example, Jones let us know that some decision will have an impact or that it had an impact, but we don't know exactly what is going to happen. At this point, there is a sense of mystery to the narration. 

The way writer weaves this story is truly engaging, and Jones' narration is captivating. Suddenly, there is something sinister in the air. As a reader, you are already emotionally engaged enough to really care. While the writer does not really explore the soul of its protagonist in detail, he really paints a likeable and convincing portrait of this odd couple.  As a reader you want for their story to work out, for their tender love to live, and even if you by some chance do not, you will still want to know what happens next.

What makes doctor Fischer so sinister? Certainly, he has money, and every man with extreme wealth also has extreme power. There is this implication that he might be really bad, but it is hard to put a finger on exactly why. After all, our narrator Alfred Jones does not really know that much about doctor Fisher apart from the fact that his wife Anna-Luise does not want for them to meet. 

Alfred is naturally worried for his wife, but he also does not understand why is she so against of them meeting. How bad could doctor Fischer be? Eventually, Jones decides to visit his father-in-law. He is met by unfriendly staff, but he is determined to see doctor Fischer. Alfred manages to meet him in person, and so he informs doctor Fisher  of their marriage. After finding out that Alfred and Anna-Luise are married, doctor Fischer shows rude curiosity about Jones' missing hand, calling it a deformation and wondering about whether it is something that can be inherited. Jones informs him how he lost his arm, but doctor Fischer does not seem to care much and is generally speaking cold. Is doctor Fischer really indifferent to the information of his daughter's marriage? It seems that he is neither surprised nor moved by it. From my perspective, I think he simply does not care about his daughter and show a mild curiosity toward her husband. Alfred leaves him with mixed feelings. Who is this doctor, this man who is at one point described as someone with no soul? 

“He's satisfied with himself. If you have a soul you can't be satisfied.”

Graham Greene, Doctor Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party

More ways to style this second hand vintage scarf 1 / 2

For a while, the husband and wife seem at peace and happy enough. An envelope appears that disrupts their peace, though. The infamous doctor Fischer invites Jones to one of his dinner parties. There is an argument between the two, as Anna-Luise urges Jones not to go. He thinks she is being unreasonable. Anna-Luise explains that these parties are a cruel joke of her father's, an exercise in humiliation of his rich friends. 

Money is a subject often mentioned in this novel. It could be said that this novel contains quite a bit of social satire. Switzerland is a promised land, or is it? This novel is set in Switzerland, a country known for its neutrality but it shows that in human nature there is no neutrality. The fact that the rich are just as hungry for money, if not more, than the poor, is often emphasized in this novel. 

Have you ever noticed how the rich often seem to socialize only with the rich? There is more than just social climbing at work here, although social climbing is also mentioned in this novel. I suppose that this novel examines a lot of class questions, even if it does it in a subtle way. The class struggle or the question of whether one's financial position determines one's position in life does not seem obvious at first, but it is nevertheless an important part of this novel.

Money is power, that is a clear message that this novel sends. People with a lot of money have a lot of power, this novel seems implicate. Doctor Fischer is a powerful man, that is the implication. However, what gives him this power? The money itself or the influence that the money has on people's psyche? What is the allure of the very rich? Even writers like Fitzgerald and Hemingway were fascinated by the life of the very rich. 

Back to the subject of this novel. Greene does not go into depth of exploration of Swiss society, and some characters are actually international or expats like the protagonist himself. However, he does include a lot of social satire, especially on the expense of the wealthy. I think this critique of a society obsessed with material is not targeted at Switzerland, but at Western world as such. 

Husband and wife are divided on the subject of whether or not he should attend the infamous dinner. At the very start of their relationship, Anna-Louise told Albert that she never attends the dinner her father hosts for they are just a means for her father to humiliate his 'friends'. They are not actually his friends, but people Fischer despises, and they also despise him yet the allure of his wealth attracts them to him. Anna-Luise called this group of people that flock around her father “the Toads”. Albert explained to her that she actually means  “toadies”, a term to describe people who behaves excessively attentive to someone important or rich. Jones seems a bit offended by the notion that his wife assumes he might become a Toady. I think he also feels a sense of duty, fearing that Anna-Luise might lose something on his behalf or that she already did. Jones seems a good husband, worried for his wife and it makes sense that he wants some contact with his father in law. Therefore, he decides to attend the dinner, and even Anna-Luise finally agrees, thinking that one dinner party will not corrupt him. Will it, though? What will the dinner be like? 

Albert already met one of the Toads while he was trying to meet his father in law. Now, Albert Jones is going to meet them all. Will he become one of them? Even before the dinner, he happens upon the only female Toad of the group. She is in charge of buying presents for the lot. However, there is a price for the presents, perhaps one that is too high, both for the guest and the host. 

So, the long dinner arrives and Albert is there with the rest. At the party, Fischer and his guests fill him in on the rules. This is no meeting of friends, athought the hostess, the only lady there tries to present it as such. Her words fool nobody, but she keeps repeating her lies, trying to convince herself and the others that they are all friends. She repeats ad nauseum how they all very fond of Fischer and how he is extremely generous, but it all comes down to this- they are all there for Fisher's entertainment. They are a mixed lot: the rich widow that is the hostess, a failing movie star with a drinking problem, and so on. The rule is that the guest must follow Fischer's instructions , and if they do at the end of the evening (and the meal) they receives a present worth a lot of money. However, the dinner always include something unpleasant, and I do not just mean the meal. Fischer insults his Toads, but they bear it for the sake of the money. 

This dinner that Albert attends actually consists solely of porridge, and bad porridge at that. Fischer insults his guests as usual, focusing on their insecurities and Jones is sickened by the whole ordeal. He refuses to eat the porridge without much though. The Toads do eat it, only one of the guest asks for sugar, but is refused. Fischer then talks to Jones, explaining how the Toads are basically his social experiment. He blackmails them in a way, for they must eat the porridge to receive their presents. Fischer assures Jones that all the guests are in fact wealthy. If they were not, his experiment would not make sense. He would not make fun of the poor, although it is unclear whether it is because they are not of interest to him or because he is sure that the poor have more dignity.

Does money turn one into a slave? As they say, money is a good servant and a poor master. It seems that money is the master of Toads.  Fischer explains his plan, he wants to know how far the wealthy will go to get expensive presents. They are more than capable of buying these presents for themselves, yet they cannot refuse them even if it means humiliation for themselves. Maybe doing it all in a group makes it easier for them, like a game of some sort. Maybe on some level it makes it harder. Whatever is the case,  the Toadies eat the porridge and receive their presents. They are filled with hate for Jonas, both for witnessing their humiliation and refusing to become one of them. He is the mirror that forces them to see themselves. How does doctor Fischer feel about Jones' refusal? It is not clear, perhaps he really does not care. At any rate, his social experiment continues and he seems to be a little entertained by Toads' hatred for Jones. 

Jones survives the dinner, and wonders about things he seen. Anna-Luise and Albert Jones talk about her past. Gradually, Anna-Luise reveals more and more about her life, and he begins to understand why he does not like her father, whom she presents as a cruel and emotionless man. Anna-Luise explains the fall of her parents’ marriage. Apparently, her mother told her everything after she suffered a nervous break down. Anna-Luise's mother was not happy in her marriage, but she was loyal to her husband who was needlessly cruel. For example, doctor Fischer knew that Anna-Luise's mother loved classical music, but it enraged him because he could not understand music, not the way she did.  

I found this detail interesting. Is classical music a metaphor for art? Is Greene suggesting that doctor Fischer cannot understand music because he is focused on the material world. Doctor Fischer is intelligent, and obviously successful in the material sense, but he seems empathy inside. It is hard to know anything from certain, because we learn all this from Anna-Luise, who only heard her mother's side of the story. However, considering that doctor Fischer was not much of a father, we cannot be surprised that Anna-Luise cares little for his side of the story. It is also possible that Anna-Luise is right and that doctor Fischer is a cruel and proud person.  Anyhow, Anna-Luise explains how her mother befriended a man who also loved classical music. Maybe befriended is a strong world, but the two of them shared a mutual love for music and they seem to have developed a friendship based on it.  Thez would listen to Mozart together. 

When doctor Fischer found out, he was furious. Anna-Luise thinks it is because he himself was incapable of not just enjoying but also understanding classical music. Doctor Fischer always belittled his wife for her love of Mozart, and now he made her confess. According to Anna-Luise, this made her mother feel guilty. From then on, doctor Fischer basically tormented her psychologically, making her feel she had done something wrong, when she really did not. Long story short, doctor Fischer took revenge. Anna-Luise's mother eventually died, and Anna-Luise is sure it was because her father tormented her psychologically. 

What happened to the man? Well, what bothered doctor Fischer is that he was someone from the lower classes. At least that is what Anna-Luise thinks. This man was one of employees of Mr Kips, whom Albert met as one of the Toads. Upon discovery of the friendship, doctor Fischer  paid Kips’ firm fifty thousand francs to fire the man. Based on Anna-Luise's description, doctor Fischer is truly a monster. He practically drove his wife to death. Anna-Luise's narration adds more suspense to this thriller. Are they done with this man? Will he find them? Will he ruin their marriage?

“You hate him and I suppose I hate him too. But hate-it isn't important. Hate isn't contagious. It doesn't spread. One can hate one man and leave it there. But when you begin to despise like Doctor Fischer, you end by despising all the world.”

Graham Greene, Doctor Fischer of Geneva or The Bomb Party

The story of Anna-Luise's past does not end there. To cheer her up, Albert Jones takes Anna-Luise to a record shop. She inherited not only her mother's looks, but her love for music. However, both will soon cause a great shock to somebody. An elderly worker helps Jones in the shop. Jones realizes that he is not as long as he thought, more his age but more run down by life. Upon seeing Anna-Luise falls this man falls violently ill. The poor man that Albert Jones and Anna-Luise encounter the man is in fact her late mother's friend Steiner. Anna-Luise's resemblance to her mother Anna causes Steiner to have a heart attack. His heart was weakened by the whole ordeal. He did not care that much about his job, but he was heart broken by Anna's death. Steiner was in love with Anna. Jones goes to visit the poor man in the hospital and learns his side of the story, too. Steiner was aware that Anna's feelings for him are just friendship over their mutual love for Mozart. Still, her death crushed him. 

Albert Jones does not know what the destiny has in store for him as he goes skiing with his wife. This is the part of the novel when things take a drastic turn, but I will leave it at that for I don't want to reveal any spoilers. 

To conclude, this was an intense and interesting read. I recommend it to all lovers of psychological thrillers!

Thank you for reading and visiting!