The Ipcress File
May 24th 2006 11:18
The Ipcress File (Australian edition), this is most likely what it will look like if you're looking for it in Australia.
The Ipcress File is the first book by hard-boiled spy and historical author Len Deighton. It was published in 1962 but it holds up very fucking well today. It pretty much helped redefine the spy thriller-novel at it's time of release and continues influencing the genre today (take a look at a few days back on this blog for the entry about The Gun Seller for an example).
Author Len Deighton with Michael Caine
The protagonist of the Ipcress File is pretty much the anti-James Bond. Where James Bond was sophisticated, lived the high life and never set a foot wrong, the nameless 'hero' of the Ipcress File is a working-class spy always worrying about his next paycheck and always trying to skive on his duties. The cover of the book and the filmed version of it will ensure that you imagine no one else other than young Michael Caine as the dry-witted slouch who narrates his adventures herein.
DVD cover of film
Deighton would go on to have a successful career writing various interconnected spy thrillers and historical war books. 'The Ipcress File' is a great place to start if you never thought you'd like spy novels (like me).
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