Mayor Pete and the loss of well written, politically topical novels

Slate has an article up looking at a Pete Buttigieg speech in which he referenced the Graham Greene novel The Quiet American (but, in Slate's view, somewhat misread its message.)   I see that the book came out in 1955 (I thought it was a bit later than that.)

All very interesting, and a great reminder that this is what we seem to have lost in recent literature - authors who are widely travelled, well read, and can write really well with a distinctive perspective  about the current, complicated, state of the world.   

 Instead, modern literature seems to have become intensely navel gazing and way less interesting for it.

I should really go read more of Greene.  (I think I have read 4 or 5.)  I think even some of his lesser known works have key parts that have lodged in memory due to their distinctiveness.