Our Man in HavanaOur Man in Havana
Score Classic
What it's about
Wormold sells vacuum cleaners in Havana and can't keep up with his daughter's spending. When a mysterious Englishman offers him money to spy and file reports, he makes them up. Then his fake reports start coming true.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's a sharp comic spy novel.
You'll love it if you liked
The Third Man
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold
ScoopGood to know
The comedy gives way to real danger.
By the numbers
- Readers34 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller18 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
- #32 of the 37 humor books we rank
- #768 of the 924 classics we rank
- #2449 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Funny, Adventurous, Uplifting
More by Graham Greene
The Heart of the Matter
The Power and the Glory
The End of the Affair
Travels with My AuntIf you like this, read next
Breakfast of Champions
The Code of the Woosters
The Bonfire of the Vanities
A Confederacy of Dunces
Tales of the City
Portnoy's ComplaintExplore the best-of lists
All 47 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Our Man in Havana worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,449 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 60.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Our Man in Havana about?
Wormold sells vacuum cleaners in Havana and can't keep up with his daughter's spending. When a mysterious Englishman offers him money to spy and file reports, he makes them up. Then his fake reports start coming true.
How long does it take to read Our Man in Havana?
About 6 hours (256 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Our Man in Havana?
If you liked it, try The Third Man by Graham Greene, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John le Carré or Scoop by Evelyn Waugh.