First published in the United Kingdom in the year 1955, The Quiet American is a classic novel by the British author Graham Greene. Based on his experiences as a war correspondent, Greene tells a complex but compelling story of intrigue and counter-intrigue, betrayal, and murder. The story revolves around the intense rivalry between two white men due to a Vietnamese girl. The protagonist, Thomas Fowler, is a British newspaper correspondent and journalist who meets Pyle, an American official, the person that the title of the book refers to. Both Fowler and Pyle have only one thing in common - Fowler's mistress Phuong, whom Pyle is willing to marry. In spite of these developments, they initially remain friends. However, their friendship is strained when Fowler becomes uneasy about Pyle's secret activities. The book reveals the way in which the two characters deal with the war and their rivalry.