Introduction: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John Le Carre, Book Review
First published in 1963, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold: A George Smiley Novel (George Smiley Novels)
by John Le Carré is often found on the list of must-read books, and has been a constant best seller. John Le Carré was an intelligence officer before he became a writer, however, he swears that the story is not based on any of his experiences. He wrote The Spy Who Came in from the Cold before he left the service and received permission before he could publish his book. The book, set during the Cold War (The Cold War: 1947 – 1953), demonstrates the chilling horror of espionage that took place during that period. The book also shows the battle between nations to come out on top and the lengths they will go to, to win, in the spy business.
What is The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John Le Carre About?
In a 1997 Paris Review (Paris Review 39.143 (Summer 1997): p50-74) interview with John Le Carré, when the author is asked about the germination of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold:
“At that time I was very caught up in the cold war in Germany. I was stationed in Bonn, going to Berlin a lot, and that was the crucible of all that spy commerce in those days. One of my jobs at the embassy, one of my day jobs, you might say, was bringing over German dignitaries, introducing them to British politicians, and functioning as interpreter. I was sitting alone in London Airport, minding my own business, when a very rough-edged, kind of Trevor Howard figure, walked in and sat himself at the bar beside me. He fished in his pocket, put down a great handful of change in heaven-knows-which currencies and denominations, and then said, “A large scotch.” Between him and the barman, they just sorted out the money. He drank the scotch and left. I thought I picked up a very slight Irish accent. And that was really all, but there was a deadness in the face, and he looked, as we would have said in the spy world in those days, as if he'd had the hell posted out of him. It was the embodiment, suddenly, of somebody that I'd been looking for. It was he, and I never spoke to him, but he was my guy, Alec Leamas, and I knew he was going to die at the Berlin Wall.”
There are many characters in the book to keep track of, and it is interesting that on the book’s cover, it says a George Smiley novel, yet the reader could easily discount his involvement in the story. As far as I am concerned, George Smiley is the puppet master, who is pulling the strings in the background, outside of the view of others. And though he may seem minor, he is pulling the important strings. This book upset me, and I am not sure it is the kind of book that I should be reading when I am grieving. The end of the book was really upsetting to me, and I wonder, what really is the point to go through so much, and in the end lose? It’s also amazing that John Le Carre, wrote this book that placed him on the map, in only five weeks.
The story is centered on Alec Leamas, and I do not know if I am judging him too harshly, but he strikes me as not being very good at his job as an intelligence officer. And it takes him too long to figure things out. Alec Leamas is the Head of the Berlin Station, and when the story starts off, he is waiting for his last agent, Karl Riemeck to show up. But before Riemeck reaches him in west Germany, Hans-Dieter Mundt, Deputy Director of the East German Intelligence Service has him shot.
Leamas returns to London, feeling like a failure, facing the prospect of a desk job, or even forced early retirement at the tender age of 50 years old. Control, the chief of the Circus, presents Leamas with a unique opportunity to exact revenge on Mundt. The intelligence officer grabs the opportunity and the story takes off. The frightening thing about the book is in the world that the story takes place, human life is not valued, and others play on your weaknesses. For instance, Mundt’s subordinate, Fieldler, who dislikes his boss tremendously, is used as a pawn in the game to discredit his boss. Fieldler suspects that his boss is a double agent so he accepts certain intelligence as facts, without enough due diligence. Things are seldom what they seem, so question everything.
Final Thoughts: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John Le Carre
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold: A George Smiley Novel (George Smiley Novels) by John Le Carre is one of those books you have to read for yourself to understand the intricate plot. Alec Leamas realizes too late what Control’s real mission is, and he dies at the Wall because he gets conscience in the end. In a country, they espouse certain values, which are often at odds with the spying business.
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