John Le Carre Books

No1newts · 18 Sep 2012 at 18:20

Do you need to read them all concurrently to understand the story?

I only picked up Spy Who Came in From the Cold and then Tinker, Tailor without realising its one big story. I'll pick up earlier ones if need be.

DTWD · 18 Sep 2012 at 19:37

Are they? Bugger, I am reading Tinker at the moment. I watched the BBC TV series with Alec Guinness back in the 90's (obviously not on it's original run), so I know the story, so I suppose I am not revealing anything new to me. But I wished I had known it was part of a larger arc, it certainly reads a bit like one.

I would read them in the order they were meant to be read, so original published date. Some "prequels" read better on you knowing the middle/end bit first.

Cosimo · 18 Sep 2012 at 22:08

You can read the Karla trilogy in isolation but to get the complete George Smiley picture read all the books in publication date order. They are all great reads.

m3csl2004 · 19 Sep 2012 at 11:01

I, just last night, finished Spy Who Came in From the Cold without realizing this. Will have to read the others.