John LeCarre RIP

[BillyStubbsTears]

Another hero gone. For me, the greatest English author of the past 60 years. He wrote novels which had you on the edge of your seat, while at the same time thinking deeply about personal frailties, about principles Vs pragmatism and about the UK trying to find a purpose in the world.

A true genius.

https://amp.theguardian.com/books/2020/dec/13/john-le-carre-author-of-tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-dies-aged-89?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other&__twitter_impression=true

[BobG]

Bugger. I didnt spot that. He created a genre of his own. Not even Frederick Forsyth can claim that despite his own excellence. Te world is a poorer place. Remember Alec Guiness as George Smiley? A role and an artist made in Heaven.....

BobG

[SydneyRover]

I enjoyed reading his books too in fact it's all becoming a bit of a blurr as to what I've read and what I've watched.

I was also struggling to remember the original rhyme from which the title Tinker tailor came from and immediately came across this, which brought back instant childhood memories.

''The Hidden Poetic Genius of an Old, English Nursery Rhyme
Novelist Jim Crace, whose prose has been analyzed by mathematicians for its rhythm, learned his technique from the childhood counting game 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor.'''

It's a short read.

https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/03/the-hidden-poetic-genius-of-an-old-english-nursery-rhyme/274370/

[Axholme Lion]

I haven't read the books but I really enjoyed Tinker, Tailor. Funnily enough only watched it a couple of weeks back. Also The Spy who came in from the cold. Richard Burton was outstanding as usual along with the lovely Clair Bloom.

[ravenrover]

I read just 1 book TTSS I thought it was a hard read to get to the conclusion

[BillyStubbsTears]

RR. It's scarcely about the conclusion. It's about the journey.

Smiley's People (which is a far better book than TTSS in my opinion) is one of the most searingly frank journeys I've ever read. How Smiley realises that, to beat Karla, he has to use and destroy people and in doing so, does he become any better than his opponent?