A collection spanning seven decades that chronicles the turbulent times to which le Carre was witness. Beginning with his 1940s childhood, it includes accounts of his National Service and his time at Oxford, and his days teaching at Eton. Later, we find him writing to Sir Alec Guinness to persuade him to take on the role of George Smiley, and arguing the immorality of the War on Terror with the chief of the German internal security service. A portrait of the very private, very passionate and very real man behind the name.