Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
by John le Carré
Steve’s choice. This book was chosen shortly after the author, John Le Carré had passed away.
The genre is “Spy Novel” and Le Carré (a pen name of David JM Cornwell) was well placed to write in this genre having real life experience in the UK’s Security Service and Secret Intelligence Service.
Steve’s reading of the book had gone well past “the story line of a spy novel” to seeing this as a story about human emotions through people that happen to be spies.
As with every specialist endeavour, there is jargon that can be a distraction or even a serious obstacle to reading the book.
The book is a “who done it?”, but by no means a simple detective story.
The UK political backdrop with the Kim Philby and Cambridge 5 scandal feeds the writing whilst not being the basis of the story.
And so the story becomes a recounting of love and betrayal, heavily laced with intrigue and Secret Service internal politics.
There are many interesting characters including Jim Prideux, George Smiley himself, Bill Haydon, and the elusive Ann.
The novel moves on well, builds on the public school culture (where everyone has a nickname), and captures the gentle self-deprecating English humour.
The book generated a fairly polarised response from the book club, and perhaps suffered from following the time consuming Gothic fantasy of Titus Groan.
A number of members had taken in the story via TV adaptation and film adaptation, and did not have time for extensive reading.
The writing is complex and convoluted and repays a deep involvement in the plots and characters.
This is a very clever fiction.
However, for those who can’t stand a “dangling thread” this book is capable of driving the reader to distraction.
Indeed, several club members read page after page wondering “what’s going on, did I miss something?”
One member had been trying to read Le Carré Novels for literally years, and expressed delight at Steve’s introduction as illuminating a number of darker areas
Overall, a powerful, challenging and intricate read, but an unattractive read for some members.
PC. 15th May 2021.
3.4 stars
For anyone that wants to follow up by watching the DVD, go to:
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy / Smiley's People Double Pack [DVD] [1979]
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