Re: John le Carre - A Perfect Spy

A R Pickett wrote:

I had the novel on my shelf for quite a few years, and tried several times to read it, always unsuccessfully. Then, a little less than a year ago, I had a period of several weeks with limited physical abilities and hence, time on my hands. Once I was able to read without the normal interruptions of everyday life, I was drawn into the complexity of Magnus life experience and was hooked. It's not an easily absorbable read, but truly worth the time.

The book is complemented by the dramatization, but I would recommend the book before the film.


That's both the curse and the boon to LeCarre's writing. Its so densely written that you have to have the time to read and understand exactly what he's saying. And even then you won't get it until you've read the book 4-5 times, and maybe not even then. Then one day something will happen in the news and you'll say Omigod! LeCarre wrote about that umpteen million years ago! And you'll be wondering if LeCarre is more plugged in than you think or if the spy world is just letting us in on the old news.

K Barrett
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