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John Le Carre

John Le Carre

"The cat sat on the mat is not a story. The cat sat on the other cat's mat is a story."

John le Carré is the nom de plume of David John Moore Cornwell, who was born in 1931 in Poole, Dorset, and was educated at Sherborne School, at the University of Berne (where he studied German literature for a year) and at Lincoln College, Oxford, where he graduated with a first-class honours degree in modern languages.

He taught at Eton from 1956 to 1958 and was a member of the British Foreign Service from 1959 to 1964, serving first as Second Secretary in the British Embassy in Bonn and subsequently as Political Consul in Hamburg. He started writing novels in 1961, and since then has published twenty-one titles.

What genre does John le Carré write?

He is best known for espionage and spy fiction. His novels are literary thrillers that examine intelligence work, betrayal, loyalty and moral complexity, often in Cold War and post-Cold War settings.

Is John le Carré a pen name?

Yes. John le Carré is the nom de plume of David John Moore Cornwell, who served in the British Foreign Service before becoming a novelist.

What is the recommended reading order for the George Smiley novels?

A common reading order follows the Smiley sequence: Call for the Dead (Book 1), A Murder of Quality (Book 2), The Spy Who Came In From the Cold (Book 3), The Looking Glass War (Book 4), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Book 5), The Honourable Schoolboy (Book 6), Smiley's People (Book 7), The Secret Pilgrim (Book 8), A Legacy of Spies (Book 9).

Where should I start if I'm new to his work?

For a standalone Cold War classic try The Spy Who Came In From the Cold. If you prefer a series beginning, start the Smiley arc with Call for the Dead and continue through the Smiley novels.

When did he start writing and how many books has he published?

He began writing novels in 1961 and, according to the source text, has published twenty-one titles.

Popular Books By John Le Carre

John Le Carre's Top Series

George Smiley Novels

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold : George Smiley: Book 3 - John le Carre

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold

George Smiley: Book 3

Paperback

RRP $26.99

$22.99

15%
OFF
Call For The Dead : George Smiley: Book 1 - John le Carré

Call For The Dead

George Smiley: Book 1

Paperback

RRP $26.99

$22.99

15%
OFF
Smiley's People : George Smiley: Book 7 - John le Carré

Smiley's People

George Smiley: Book 7

Paperback

RRP $26.99

$22.99

15%
OFF
The Looking Glass War : George Smiley: Book 4 - John le Carré

The Looking Glass War

George Smiley: Book 4

Paperback

RRP $26.99

$22.99

15%
OFF
A Murder of Quality : George Smiley: Book 2 - John le Carré

A Murder of Quality

George Smiley: Book 2

Paperback

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy : George Smiley: Book 5 - John le Carré

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

George Smiley: Book 5

Paperback

RRP $26.99

$22.99

15%
OFF
The Honourable Schoolboy : George Smiley: Book 6 - John le Carré

The Honourable Schoolboy

George Smiley: Book 6

Paperback

RRP $26.99

$22.99

15%
OFF
A Legacy Of Spies : George Smiley: Book 9 - John le Carré

A Legacy Of Spies

George Smiley: Book 9

Paperback

RRP $24.99

$23.75

The Secret Pilgrim : George Smiley: Book 8 - John le Carré

The Secret Pilgrim

George Smiley: Book 8

Paperback

$26.99

John le Carre Gift Editions

The George Smiley Collection

The Honourable Schoolboy : The Smiley Collection - John le Carré

The Honourable Schoolboy

The Smiley Collection

Paperback

RRP $24.99

$23.75

The Secret Pilgrim : The Smiley Collection - John le Carré

The Secret Pilgrim

The Smiley Collection

Paperback

RRP $24.99

$23.75

The Looking Glass War : The Smiley Collection - John le Carré

The Looking Glass War

The Smiley Collection

Paperback

RRP $22.99

$22.75

All John Le Carre Books