In this book, collaborators and friends take us behind the scenes to give original insights into le Carré’s extraordinary observational writing techniques, revealing his unique ‘tradecraft’ as a writer. His striving for artistic truth and historical precision is presented here through the words of those who worked alongside him, together with an analysis of the novels, which so often captured the zeitgeist. Illustrated with manuscript pages, family photographs, film stills and correspondence, this book provides a multifaceted portrait of the working life and legacy of a great writer.

FEDERICO VARESE, close friend and collaborator with John le Carré, is Professeur des Universités at the Centre d’études européennes et de politique comparée, Sciences Po, Paris, and a Senior Research Fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford.

Chapters

Errol Morris: David Cornwell and the hopeless uncertainties of history Elleke Boehmer & Steven Matthews: John le Carré as world writer Lawrence Osborne: The Honourable Schoolboy: Hong Kong nights and Phnom Penh days Andrea Ruggeri: The world has gone mad: International Relations in the work of John le Carré Andrei Soldatov: John le Carré and spying as seen from the KGB Michela Wrong: One week in Bukavu Hossein Amini: Adapting John le Carré: My first screenwriting manual Nicholas Cornwell: Writing with my father: Karla’s Choice by way of Silverview.