John Le Carré is a great writer – no questions asked. He‘s written (and published) 22 novels, not counting screenplays, theatrical pieces and God knows what else.
I went to see Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011), an adaption of the book in a film with Gary Oldman playing Smiley. Oldman is good and the film is good too. However I had to look up the old TV series with Alec Guinnes playing Smiley.
No comparison made but It made me go through Le Carré‘s books and try to remember why he is my all time favourite writer.
I think the first book I read was The spy who came in from the cold and I indeed read the books from that era I am sure but I am equally sure that even if they were entertaining Tinker, Tailor... broke a barrier. This was 1974 and I probably read in rather fast and then again. Its a heavy read but very good, with the Smiley character from former books making such an impact that one thought Smiley might appear in several more. The honourable schoolboy of 1977 was (I felt ) more entertaining as it has this 007 feel of chasing bad guys in Asia, and Smiley´s people (1979) was by far the best and final of the Smiley – Karla duel. A bit like Holmes – Moriarty really. Once that one was finished, quite honestly, so was Smiley.
After this explosive success came Little drummer girl, quite entertaining and especially as you had this rather innnocent bystander getting dragged into the Israeli / Palestinian fight.
Then came my favourite. A perfect spy (1986). Magnus Pym, a highly set official is on the run, hunted by UK‘s intelligence people as they discover that he was a Eastern European spy. As their discoveries are unravelled, so Pym remembers his past and in particular his father, Rick Pym, who was a conman. Magnus Pym was a conman too and a perfect spy and the story is true to a point. Le Carré and his father are in and out of the text.
Understandably, there was a dry spell, even if Single and Single, The secret pilgrim, The night manager and in particular The tailor of Panama are great reads! Some of them are remakes of A perfect spy – strange characters have their past catching up with them.
The tailor... is most entertaining and the film, with Geoffrey Rush (and Brosnan and Jamie Lee Curtis) is good. One of the best made along Le Carrés books.
At this point he found a new venue. Africa and The constant gardener. Almost as much a favourite as the book about the Pym clan. Its challenging, aggrevating and raises moral questions. Extremely good.
The books after that are more or less on issues and social questions. All important. A most wanted man, Absolute friends and so on great books.
I really admire Le Carré, his morals and politics. I love his books and everne should read A perfect spy because it in good English, wonderful prose and narrative. As well as The constant gardener. NOT the movie, even if you can smell Africa in it with wonderful scenes of beauty and pain as well as great music. But the prose is so much stronger and better.
So read them!
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