John Le Carre
December 6th 2006 12:49
John Le Carre - real name David John Moore Cornwell - is probably best known for his influential and groundbreaking spy novels of the 60s. In recent years he has expanded his stories beyond the normal constraints of the genre, and has moved more into 'political thriller' territory at times. He's about 75 now, but he's still keeping it real in a very big way (witness one of his more recent novels, the critically acclaimed 'Constant Gardner').
Le Carre was an actual operative for MI6 in the 60s, but had to quit his espionage career when the infamous British double-agent Kim Philby blew his cover to the KGB. Le Carre turned to writing, and set out to explore the spy genre (at the time mainly represented by James Bond) in a more realistic manner than it had been privvy to before. One of his earlier books, 'The Spy Who Came in From the Cold' - see review here, caused quite a stir upon it's release due to it's resolutely unromanticised take on the genre.
Call for the Dead (1961)
A Murder of Quality (1962)
The Looking-Glass War (1965)
A Small Town in Germany (1968)
The Naïve and Sentimental Lover (1971)
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1974)
The Honourable Schoolboy (1977)
Smiley's People (1979)
The Little Drummer Girl (1983)
A Perfect Spy (1986)
The Russia House (1989)
the Secret Pilgrim (1991)
The Unbearable Peace (1991)
The Night Manager (1993)
Our Game (1995)
The Tailor of Panama (1996)
Nervous Times (1998)
Single & Single (1999)
The Constant Gardener (2001)
Absolute Friends (2003)
The Mission Song (2006)
Not One More Death (2006) Co-Authored, non-fiction
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