A few thoughts that I jotted down. I am on vacation this week so Le Carre was appropriate reading for a trip. A group of buddy readers in the group reading for pleasure is reading through Le Carre’s novels, and I join them from time to time. This installment of George Smiley introduces readers to Alec Leamas, an intelligence officer who Control is convincing to come in from the cold, that is to retire from the service. For any man accustomed to constant action and being on one’s toes, searching

A profound book, that surpassed all my expectations. A hell of a ride from the first page till the last word. It's a cold and dark book which is written very intelligently. It was hailed as one of the best among the world's top classic espionage-books ever written. And, now that I see in hindsight, it has truly surpassed all the spy thrillers, in terms of quality and scope, that I've read before reading this one; and it has now climbed the ladder to reach the top - in my all time favorite list.H...

I am of two minds now that I have finished The Spy Who Came in From the Cold for the first time: I am irritated at myself for having postponed the pleasure of reading this magnificent book for so many years, and yet I am exhilarated and excited too, marked by this unqualified encounter with greatness.I certainly was stupid all these years, for I did not read this book—at least in part--because I considered it “just a spy novel” (albeit a superb one), and the “spy novel"—at least since Ian Flemin...

“It is said that men condemned to death are subject to sudden moments of elation; as if, like moths in the fire, their destruction were coincidental with attainment.”Wow, that was boring. And I did not even have any expectations towards it. But calling it "the best spy novel ever", as so many reviewers have done, is a teensy bit far-stretched. I don't have much to say about this book. If you want to read it because you expect action and thrill and incredible escape plans or impossible heists, yo...

In the past two years I’ve started watching more spy movies/tv-series and also read a spy-thriller by Daniel Silva. I saw two movies based on Le Carré's books (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and A most Wanted Man) which I enjoyed. As a result, I was looking forward to reading one of Le Carré’s books. This is a different kind of spy novel, a smart one with a brilliant plot and some exciting twists. There are no hot dudes drinking martinis with a woman on each leg, shooting every terrorist in sight....

”What do you think spies are: priests, saints, and martyrs? They’re a squalid procession of vain fools, traitors too, yes; pansies, sadists, and drunkards, people who play cowboys and Indians to brighten their rotten lives. Do you think they sit like monks in London balancing the rights and wrongs?” Checkpoint Charlie where it all begins.John Le Carre A.K.A. David John Moore Cornwell while in college started working for MI5 and then later transferred to MI6. He worked as a consul (code for sp...

Winner of the Edgar and Dagger awards, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is a wonderfully written International espionage novel. John Le Carre’s 1963 classic is undoubtedly the most intelligent, dark, and ominous spy novel of it’s time.Earlier this year I read A Legacy of Spies, written in 2017 by Le Carre, so it made so much sense to dive into his classic Cold War novel as a follow-up. The author, who worked for British Intelligence, brings so much authenticity to his novels.The book centers ar...

I hate everything about spies and spying, whether it's the stupid raised-eyebrow-perfect-martini-black-tied begadgeted supermodel-is-in-the-shower my-name-is-Bollocks, James Bollocks nonsense or the miserable version : everybody can be bought there are no morals any more in this grey world and also it's always fooking raining, my feet hurt, my dog died, I never have sex and I'll meet you near Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin so you can say something incomprehensible to me and I can back to you and t...

"Intelligence work has one moral law—it is justified by results."After having just met George Smiley for the first time last month, I admit I was a bit disappointed to hear that he would not be featured prominently in this novel. I should not have worried in the least, however, because Alec Leamas as leading man in this book was every bit as compelling a character as was Smiley. If you are looking for a glamorous spy novel, you should look elsewhere. If you are in search of a smart, realistic lo...

Perhaps the greatest spy novel ever, it is chilling (as cold as the title) and realistic and hair-raising. A true classic!Smiley takes a back seat in this extraordinary Cold War spy thriller hitch shows the true hypocrisy on both sides of the Berlin Wall. There are so many twists and turns in the story that it reads very quickly. It is a fantastic novel, one of Le Carré’s best. What Le Carré really excels at is getting into the psychology of each actor in the story and building up the pressure u...

I read this book shortly after it appeared, having the benefit of a mother who was an aficionado of every good book review she read in The New York Times or Kirkus Reviews, to both of which she subscribed. With that advantage she also had been given free reign by town hall to order whatever book had stellar ratings and would consequently enjoy a big circulation in the library she ran for them.Furthermore, if she loved a book she would tell me about it, and I'd borrow it.And that way I could read...

This is the novel that placed John Le Carré firmly on the path of fame and fortune. It was his breakthrough novel and 50 years later he was still telling people it had nothing to do with his previous job in the Secret Service; that it was a figment of his imagination only; that had it been based on any facts whatsoever, it would never have been allowed into publication.None of that registered at the time with the media and critics. And those old rumours still hang in shabby tatters to this day.

The Spy Who Came In from the Cold, John le Carré The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is a 1963 Cold War spy novel by the British author John le Carré.The West Berlin office of the Circus is under the command of Station Head Alec Leamas, who served as an SOE (Special Operations Executive) operative during World War II, and fought in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands and Norway. ...تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز دوم ماه ژوئن سال 2012میلادیعنوان: جاسوسی که از سردسیر آمد؛ نویسنده: جان لوکاره؛ مترجم فرزاد فرید؛ ت...

Fleming gave it a glamorous touch, Ludlum bought added thrills, but le Carré writes of espionage with a cold starkness that is far more believable and all the better for it. There are no car chases, gadgets, tuxedos, martini's, or large breasted women walking out of the ocean throwing their long locks back over their pretty faces. This is so far away from the exotic travels of 007, mainly taking in the sights of airports, road checkpoints, chilly rooms and deserted streets, le Carré shows a Euro...

I'd like to start by saying "woah" and various other exclamations of surprise and wonder. This was a book that completely changed the way I view spy novels. My previous prejudice stems from quite an obvious source - Ian Fleming - who never gave me anything much of what I would want to read about or what I even find remotely interesting. Big guns, fast cars, hot girls... surely every teenage boy's wet dream, but not what tends to be my cup of tea.Fleming, like most writers of spy novels, caters e...

.The Spy Who Came In from the Cold is John le Carre's first espionage novel. It is also the book that first brought him acclaim and several awards. And deservedly so. This Cold War story is set in London and East Germany in 1963. The twists and turns, the characters, the action, and the dialogue all felt very authentic. And, of course, it is brilliantly written. Fans of George Smiley will be disappointed because he is not in this novel but the other characters do him proud. He is mentioned by ot...

A few years ago the Broadway musical “Wicked” came to Nashville and my family and I went to experience this production at the Tennessee Performing Arts Theater. I have actually seen a musical on Broadway (Rock of Ages) and I was impressed. But this was something else entirely. I was awestruck by the talent: the singing, the acting, the stage production. As you may imagine, this was not my usual forte. Oh, I can walk across a room and avoid dragging my knuckles (most days) but for the most part a...

Upon hearing of the passing of David John Moore Cornwell (better known by his pen name John le Carre) in December, I realised I hadn't read a novel by him or even had one on my TBR list. I was aware for that he worked for both MI5 and MI 16 during the 1950s and 60s and went on to become a very successful author. Having just finished and enjoyed Agent Sonya: Moscow's Most Daring Wartime Spy I really was in the mood for another spy novel. While Agent Sonya is a non fiction read I was assured by a

I think if I had lived through more of the Cold War I would have enjoyed this book more. Even though it is not a very long book, I found it somewhat slow. Also, it was a fairly complicated story that had me confused and going back to figure out if I missed something. I may have given it two stars, but the ultimate point and climax of the story was interesting. I kept having to clear my mind and put myself back into the serious mentality of the Cold War. I am too used to the James Bond/Hollywood

It’s been over 20 years since the Berlin Wall fell, and as someone who grew up in the 1970s - 80s, reading about dueling Cold War spies gave me a weird nostalgic rush. “The Soviets? East Germans? Damn! We used to HATE those guys!”In this era where decades of misdeeds by intelligence agencies are common knowledge and the notion of elaborate spy games are widely used fictional plots, it’s a little hard to imagine how groundbreaking this book was back in 1963. James Bond was in full literary swing