John le Carré, Author of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Dies Aged 89

[6Foot2]

Link: John le Carré, author of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, dies aged 89 [The Guardian]

[Andrew_C]

I think he's faked his own death to get away from England.

 

Le Carré turned down literary honours and a knighthood, saying in a 2017 US interview that he was "so suspicious of the literary world that I don't want its accolades".

 

 

 

"And least of all do I want to be called Commander of the British Empire or any other thing of the British Empire," he added, saying it was "emetic" or vomit-inducing.

 

 

 

He told CBS News' 60 Minutes: "I don't want to posture as someone who's been honoured by the state and must therefore somehow conform with the state, and I don't want to wear the armour."

 

 

 

Le Carré described himself as "English to the core" but deplored what he saw as the aggressive nationalistic sentiment behind Brexit.

 

 

 

"My England would be the one that recognises its place in the EU. The jingoistic England that is trying to march us out of the EU, that is an England I don't want to know," he said.

 

 

 

Edited December 14, 2020 by Andrew_C

[JATSO]

Link: John le Carré, author of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, dies aged 89 [The Guardian]

 

On Friday I handed my son Le-Carre's latest book as a gift to read for his birthday.

[Andrew_C]

I can commend the BBC "Smiley" dramatisations, available on Audible. And the early books too; the later one's are too close to the knuckle for me...