# Any other John LeCarre fans out there? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 24, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-john-lecarre-fans-out-there/203474 "2003-09-24T03:54:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-john-lecarre-fans-out-there/203474/1 "2003-09-24T03:54:59Z")
The more I read him, the more I appreciate his talents. He writes great spy novels that are also just plain great novels. He transcends his genre. Wonderful characters, striking insights into the human condition and the best understand of bureaucratic behavior I’ve ever seen. I’m a fan. I’ve been reading his stuff for years, but as I say, the more I read him the more I appreciate him. I just finished listening to _Our Game_ on tape (unabridged). What a wonderful book. When Cranmer spills the beans that Pettifer is missing because (he thinks) he’s killed him… I sat there with my mouth open for about five minutes. Wow. Now I’m reading _The Secret Pilgrim_ which is essentially a bunch of short stories from the Smiley era tied together through a common character (Ned). Very good stories in themselves, but I’m wondering what the underlying theme tying the stories together is… I also wonder if these cases are referred to at all in the Smiley books. This book has also renewed my interest in the Smiley books. Soon as I finish this one, I’m going back to _Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy_ and re-reading all three till they get Karla. One thing I will say – LeCarre tends to drop you in the deep end at the beginning of his books. You start in the middle and must discern the players and their positions. He doesn’t spoon feed you… So, what about it? Anybody else enjoy David Cornwell’s stories of the Circus? ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-john-lecarre-fans-out-there/203474/2 "2003-09-24T04:27:55Z")
I am a HUGE fan. For my money, no one else come’s close to his work, except maybe some of Graham Greene’s work. Have you seen the BBC series? ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-john-lecarre-fans-out-there/203474/3 "2003-09-24T19:38:50Z")
Only one? Jeepers. Huh, there was a BBC series? I wonder if it was/will be on BBC America. Which book(s) was it about? ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-john-lecarre-fans-out-there/203474/4 "2003-09-24T20:13:45Z")
Starring Alec Guiness, no less. I find him very uneven. I can get a little tired of the middle aged man with a hard on for 25 yo women. Best of his books - ‘A perfect spy’. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-john-lecarre-fans-out-there/203474/5 "2003-09-24T20:18:08Z")
You can get the Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy series, with Alec Guinness as Smiley, on DVD. I got it at the library. LeCarre is one of the best writers in English in the Twentieth Century, in any “genre.” His novels are not spy novels; they’re literature that happens to be about spies. I’ve read everything, most of it twice, some of it more. ---
**Author:** ![CyberPundit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CyberPundit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyberPundit)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-john-lecarre-fans-out-there/203474/6 "2003-09-24T20:23:47Z")
I am reading Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. I admit I am finding it rather confusing. My impression is that the book takes for granted a certain amount of knowledge of the fictional world. Is there an earlier book which introduces the characters and background? I haven’t read too many spy novels so that could be the reason as well. Still I definitely find it interesting enough to continue. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-john-lecarre-fans-out-there/203474/7 "2003-09-24T20:33:24Z")
Some of the characters were introduced in earlier novels, but each book stands on its own. If LeCarre refers to situations in earlier books, he gives you whatever relevant info you need to continue; other aspects aren’t relevant to the current story. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-john-lecarre-fans-out-there/203474/8 "2003-09-24T20:34:26Z")
Yeah, I think that’s one of his standard techniques. You start out in the middle of a bunch of characters and gradually you figure out who’s who and what’s what. What’s interesting is how you learn more about some characters over the course of several books (e.g. Smiley, Toby Esterhase, Bill Haydon, et al). Also, I love the fact that you never meet “Control” yet you are able to develop a mental picture of him and an good understanding of his character. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-john-lecarre-fans-out-there/203474/9 "2003-09-24T21:38:42Z")
The BBC dramatized three Le Carre novels, _Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy_ and _Smiley’s People_, with Alec Guinness, and _A Perfect Spy_ with Peter Egan in the lead. Trying to work out who the mole was in _Tinker Tailor_ became something of a national obsession when the series was first transmitted … They’ve had video releases, and _Tinker Tailor_ at least is out on Region 2+4 DVD … ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-john-lecarre-fans-out-there/203474/10 "2003-09-24T22:12:15Z")
I agree with **The Gaspode** that LeCarre can be uneven. I think that some of his recent work has suffered as he as moved away from stories rooted in the Cold War. I also agree that _A Perfect Spy_ was my favorite. What an incredible character study and an amazing literary achievement. I have great hope that LeCarre still has a few good books in him. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-john-lecarre-fans-out-there/203474/11 "2003-09-24T22:40:44Z")
I haven’t read any of his post-Cold War stuff, but it’s on the shelves for someday. Little Drummer Girl is my favorite, followed by The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. I used to take his books to work and read some of the better passages aloud to anyone who was walking by. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-john-lecarre-fans-out-there/203474/12 "2003-09-25T04:02:20Z")
Huh. _Little Drummer Girl_ is the one book I couldn’t get into, despite repeated attempts. _The Spy Who Came in from the Cold_ is great. It was my first exposure to LeCarre and hooked me. I think its wonderful how he doesn’t let you be sure whether Leamus is establishing cover or is truly in decline for a long, long time. I’m pretty sure I’ve read _A Perfect Spy_ but I don’t remember it. Anybody care to provide a quick synopsis? Anybody else care to comment on _Our Game_? What about the movie adaptations? I haven’t seen any. I know _Drummer Girl_’s been done as has _Russia House_. Any reviews? ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-john-lecarre-fans-out-there/203474/13 "2003-09-25T04:06:35Z")
> [@](#): > > I used to take his books to work and read some of the better passages aloud to anyone who was walking by. Maybe I should try this. What I find so wonderful is how he can lay out someone’s deepest secrets and truest character in a sentence or two. The plots are good, but the style and the characterization are terrific. Also, I don’t think he likes women very much. I can’t think of a sympathetic female character in any of his books. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Raven\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@The\_Raven\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Raven_1)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-john-lecarre-fans-out-there/203474/14 "2003-09-25T05:28:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Frankd6 \* > \*\*Also, I don’t think he likes women very much. I can’t think of a sympathetic female character in any of his books. \*\* How about _The Constant Gardener_? The (murdered) activist wife of the protagonist was the driving force behind his efforts to expose the eeevil pharmaceutical corporation (all names escape me, perhaps a Dewar’s moment) :). Also, in _The Night Manager_ there are very powerful female characters whose sacrifices and memory drive the protagonist (and the plot) forward. Granted, Smiley’s wife was less than perfect, but there’s more to LeCarre than the Smiley stories… -Rav