Carl Hiaasen

John le Carre

Who was John le Carre?

(John Le Carre, (real name was David John Moore Cornwell), Was a highly successful British author and writer of English spy novels.

le Carre came to prominence when his third novel, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, was published in 1963 and made into an atmospheric and hauntingly bleak and sordid film starring Richard Burton as a washed-up spy, Alec Leamas.

Was le Carre a Spy?

Le Carre worked for both the British Security Service (MI5) and the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) during the 1950’s and 1960’s and he used his insider knowledge of these spy services when he wrote his novels. It was the success of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, that led to him becoming a full-time writer.

Reading Le Carre’s Novels

John Le Carre has written over 26 novels, plus short stories, screen plays and other works. His novels can be grouped as those to do with his main protagonist ‘George Smiley’ and the others. His publisher, Penguin recommends reading his novels in the following order:

A Perfect Spy (1986) The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1963) Silverview (2021 - Posthumous) Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1974) The Honourable Schoolboy (1977) The Constant Gardener (2001) The Tailor of Panama (1996) The Little Drummer Girl (1983)

Keep in touch

If you would like to explore 100's of in depth book reviews and author interviews, why not click below to visit our website.