Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

John le Carré's 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' is the ultimate spy novel

bbc.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 123 posts

Re: John le Carré's 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' is the ultimate spy novel

#61

Post by robertlagrant »

travisgriggs wrote: post #23
nocoiner wrote: post #4

Anyone have any recommendations for other classic spy novels like le Carre’s? I’ve read some Greene and Deighton, which were both mentioned in the article, so I suppose I should revisit those, but would be interested in any other works with a similar scene and setting. One of my favorite le Carre tidbits - apparently in the UK and US versions of “Tinker, Tailor,” a character in one version takes a ferry in Hong Kong,…

I like all of his George Smiley novels. But perhaps the most haunting for me is The Looking Glass War ( https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Looking_Glass_War ). I had just urned 50 when I read it and was actually surrounded by a lot of people ranging 60-80. While a spy novel, it’s almost more of dark comic tragedy on the power of nostalgia. I easily find the storyline transferrable to some of the “established” organi…

> Aging is hard.

A story I read as a kid, The Positronic Man, by Asimov, really revealed this to me. Because the protagonist lives a long time, it covers a few different human characters, and his final words in the book really hit home.

Re: John le Carré's 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' is the ultimate spy novel

#62

Post by 6LLvveMx2koXfwn »

synaesthesisx wrote: post #39

The adaptation of "The Night Manager" is excellent IMO. It's a miniseries of sorts (only 6 episodes), however Hugh Laurie & Tom Hiddleston deliver top-notch performances. It's available on Prime Video and other streaming services in the US.

I grew up with Hugh Laurie when he partnered Stephen Fry in their comedy turns on the BBC. To see him portray a villain with such steely eyed certainty was breath taking. The first and last episodes are something to behold - he absolutely gravitates malign intent.

Re: John le Carré's 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' is the ultimate spy novel

#63

Post by jpmoral »

tptacek wrote: post #33
aaronbrethorst wrote: post #32

"The story of The Spy was really a story of loneliness…" My wife and I just finished watching all of The Americans on Hulu, and this really resonates with me. Somehow, I managed to completely miss the show when it ran from 2013-2018, and was only reminded of its existence after watching and enjoying The Diplomat on Netflix, which also features Keri Russell in a starring role. The Americans is about pair of deep cover…

It's maybe one of the 3 best drama series of the last 20 years, and easily one of the 5 best. For a (nonfic) book in the same vein, try The Billion Dollar Spy.

If you haven't seen it yet you might enjoy Le Bureau des Légendes.

Re: John le Carré's 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' is the ultimate spy novel

#64

Post by walrus01 »

synaesthesisx wrote: post #39

The adaptation of "The Night Manager" is excellent IMO. It's a miniseries of sorts (only 6 episodes), however Hugh Laurie & Tom Hiddleston deliver top-notch performances. It's available on Prime Video and other streaming services in the US.

Personal opinion, it was a well done series, but trying to update the timing of the events to make it related to the post-2010 "arab spring" didn't do anything good for the story. The original story was a product of the time it was written, in a pre-smartphone, pre-widespread-internet use era.

Re: John le Carré's 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' is the ultimate spy novel

#65

Post by postexitus »

porknubbins wrote: post #6

If I can compare le Carre with Cormac McCarthy I would say The Spy Who Came in From the Cold is his “The Road”. Its the novel people always recommend and put on “best books” lists because its short, punchy and therefore seems like a good introduction. But both authors have a substantial body of work that much better represents them as authors since it explores the themes that really are uniquely interesting about the…

Blood Meridian as "rewarding"? I do agree it is a jaw-droppingly well written book, but it is excruciating to read and experience. This is on a par with recommending Irreversible as more rewarding for French cinema if I put in the time. Please stop destroying young minds. /s

Re: John le Carré's 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' is the ultimate spy novel

#66

Post by isntbilly »

jpmoral wrote: post #63
tptacek wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's maybe one of the 3 best drama series of the last 20 years, and easily one of the 5 best. For a (nonfic) book in the same vein, try The Billion Dollar Spy.

If you haven't seen it yet you might enjoy Le Bureau des Légendes.

Yep, fun series

Re: John le Carré's 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' is the ultimate spy novel

#67

Post by l3x »

nocoiner wrote: post #4

Anyone have any recommendations for other classic spy novels like le Carre’s? I’ve read some Greene and Deighton, which were both mentioned in the article, so I suppose I should revisit those, but would be interested in any other works with a similar scene and setting. One of my favorite le Carre tidbits - apparently in the UK and US versions of “Tinker, Tailor,” a character in one version takes a ferry in Hong Kong,…

Graham Greene's The Quiet American has a similar feel. About an American spy in Vietnam.

Edit: Also, Mick Heron's Slow Horses series, based on a group of outcaste MI5 spies in London. (The first book was made into a TV series on Apple TV).

Re: John le Carré's 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' is the ultimate spy novel

#68

Post by ahartmetz »

synaesthesisx wrote: post #39

The adaptation of "The Night Manager" is excellent IMO. It's a miniseries of sorts (only 6 episodes), however Hugh Laurie & Tom Hiddleston deliver top-notch performances. It's available on Prime Video and other streaming services in the US.

It has the most satisfying ending of any series that I have watched.

Re: John le Carré's 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' is the ultimate spy novel

#69

Post by SideburnsOfDoom »

l3x wrote: post #67
nocoiner wrote: post #4

Anyone have any recommendations for other classic spy novels like le Carre’s? I’ve read some Greene and Deighton, which were both mentioned in the article, so I suppose I should revisit those, but would be interested in any other works with a similar scene and setting. One of my favorite le Carre tidbits - apparently in the UK and US versions of “Tinker, Tailor,” a character in one version takes a ferry in Hong Kong,…

Graham Greene's The Quiet American has a similar feel. About an American spy in Vietnam. Edit: Also, Mick Heron's Slow Horses series, based on a group of outcaste MI5 spies in London. (The first book was made into a TV series on Apple TV).

> (The first book was made into a TV series on Apple TV).

There have now been 2 seasons of Slow Horses (apple TV series) and more are planned.

I haven't read the books, but this is a good series.

Re: John le Carré's 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' is the ultimate spy novel

#70

Post by wkat4242 »

jonp888 wrote: post #49
synaesthesisx wrote: post #39

The adaptation of "The Night Manager" is excellent IMO. It's a miniseries of sorts (only 6 episodes), however Hugh Laurie & Tom Hiddleston deliver top-notch performances. It's available on Prime Video and other streaming services in the US.

It's British. In Britain 6 episodes is a series ;)

Tell that to EastEnders :)
Post reply on HN