#memory
#literature
#films
John le Carre.
19 October is the birth anniversary of John le Carre ( David Cornwell, 1931-2020).
The British novelist is considered the greatest writer of spy novels of all time. Though set in the backdrop of espionage stories, the novels of Le Carre are noted for their complex plots and high literary merit.
David Cornwell was educated at Oxford and taught French and Latin in Eton College from 1956 to 1958. He later worked with the British Foreign Office abroad till 1964 . The first-hand knowledge about British intelligence and espionage helped him later in his writing.
The 1963 novel, The Spy who Came in from the Cold, established him as one of the foremost writers in his genre.
The three novels Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy (1974), Honorable School Boy (1977), and Smiley’s People (1979)
made its hero George Smiley, an icon for all time to come.
Smiley’s duels with his Russian counterpart Karla are now part of folklore.
The Little Drummer Girl (1983), The Perfect Spy (1986), The Russia House (1989), The Secret Pilgrim (1991), The Night Manager (1993), and The Constant Gardner (2001) are some of his greatest works.
Most of his novels have been made into successful TV serials and films.
The memoir, The Pigeon Tunnel, appeared in 2016.
-Joy Kallivayalil.
p s:
I became a diehard fan after watching the film, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, in Sreedhar theatre, Ernakulam,more than 50 years ago. I have claims of having read every novel and watched every film of Le Carre.
