Ilse’s Reviews > Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy > Status Update

I was just talking to Ben about how we should read him one of these days. Have you read him before, Ilse? Is he a go-to for you?

Jennifer wrote: "I was just talking to Ben about how we should read him one of these days. Have you read him before, Ilse? Is he a go-to for you?"
Jennifer, it is the very first time I am reading Le Carré - and likely also the first time I am reading a spy novel as far as I can remember- it was a Christmas present, which was a lovely surprise because the local library doesn't have copies of the Smiley books, and I adored watching the 1979 series with Alec Guinness last year. Honestly, I love it even if I know the plot from the series! The characterisation, the suspense, the writing, the atmosphere, the (for me challenging) vocabulary, the complexity - top notch :) - the series and the book enhance each other, I think a lot would have gone over my head if I hadn't watched the series first. So if you consider giving him a go, don't hesitate (and isn't it funny, I am now reading the latest by Julian Barnes and he has been referring to Le Carré and the characters of this book already twice, I love such coincidence :)!

Le Carré is one of those authors who feels so "familiar" even though I've never read any of his books (!!!). Maybe it's Alec Guinness or just growing up in the cultural stew of the Cold War? At any rate, your comments have made me think I need to address this lacuna, finally.

I share your love for coincidences, Ilse, it makes me feel on the right track somehow. I’m encouraged that you’re connecting with this, it’s supposed to be one of his best. We saw the film, but I don’t remember it as well as The Night Manager and The Little Drummer Girl, both of which I saw in series, so I’m curious about what you say about pairing the reads and realizations.

Is that something a character says, or the narrator's comment? The whole story is a pile of interlinked betrayals isn't it, starting at intimate relationships and building out from there?

When I see this superb spy novel by le Carré I’m always reminded of the equally superb eponymous TV adaptation by the BBC from 1979, Ilse!

Alison wrote: "Le Carré is one of those authors who feels so "familiar" even though I've never read any of his books (!!!). Maybe it's Alec Guinness or just growing up in the cultural stew of the Cold War?"
Alison, after having not watched series or films for years, I've only recently 'met' Alec Guinness and I was immediately hooked - and yes, you put that well, same goes for me - maybe I was also less attracted to Cold War stories because they seemed so familiar from living in them :). I admit I was biased on the genre and the author as well, thinking they were not for me - and the moment I looked for le Carré in the library, great was my surprise they hadn't any while I thought his books quite popular - but maybe, like with Anita Brookner's books, the library has removed them both from their shelves to make space for more recent books (can you imagine there is not one book by Nabokov on their shelves anymore?)