5) The Last Word and other stories, by Graham Greene

A collection of short stories ranging from 1923 to 1990, compiled by Greene in the latter year, shortly before his death. Actually it is fairly clear why these stories have not been numbered among his more memorable works; they are mostly very short and while good illustrations of his style have little to engage the reader in terms of content.

ObSF: the very first story, written in 1988, is set in a future where the entire world has been united under a single government and follows the final days of the man who had been the last Pope. It reminded me of ‘s remark that “if you show me a planet with a single government I’ll show you the mass graves”. Another story, written in 1989 but set in 1997, tells of the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994 being disrupted by a terrorist attack. Does any of Graham Greene’s other work count as sfnal?