The Secret Life of John le Carre

The Secret Life of John le Carré is a fascinating meditation on the complex relationship between biographer and subject.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 04 July 2024
Publisher: Profile Books Ltd

Secrecy came naturally to John le Carré, and there were some secrets that he fought fiercely to keep. Nowhere was this more so than in his private life. Apparently content in his marriage, the novelist conducted a string of love affairs over four decades. To keep these relationships secret, he made use of tradecraft that he had learned as a spy: code names and cover stories, cut-outs, safe houses, and dead letter boxes. Such affairs introduced both jeopardy and excitement into what was otherwise a quiet, ordered life. Le Carré seemed to require the stimulus they provided in order to write, though this meant deceiving those closest to him. It is no coincidence that betrayal became a recurrent theme in his work. Adam Sisman's definitive biography, published in 2015, revealed much about the elusive spy-turned-novelist; yet le Carré was adamant that some subjects should remain hidden, at least during his lifetime. The Secret Life of John le Carré is the story of what was left out, and offers reflections on the difficult relationship between biographer and subject. More than that, it adds a necessary coda to the life and work of this complex, driven, restless man. The Secret Life of John le Carré reveals a hitherto-hidden perspective on the life and work of the spy-turned-author and a fascinating meditation on the complex relationship between biographer and subject.

Nicholas Shakespeare's "The Secret Life of John le Carré" is a compelling and insightful study into the biographical process itself. Not merely a conclusive homage to a compulsively fascinating character, Shakespeare's book delves into the private life of the renowned spy-turned-novelist, revealing secrets that he fought fiercely to keep.

Le Carré's private life was marked by a string of love affairs over four decades, and he used tradecraft learned as a spy to keep these relationships secret. This included code names, cover stories, cut-outs, safe houses, and dead letter boxes. While these affairs introduced both jeopardy and excitement into his life, they also meant deceiving those closest to him.

Le Carré's work often featured betrayal as a recurring theme, and Adam Sisman's definitive biography, published in 2015, revealed much about the elusive spy-turned-novelist. However, le Carré was adamant that some subjects should remain hidden, at least during his lifetime.

The Secret Life of John le Carré is a book that fills in the gaps left out by Sisman's biography and offers reflections on the difficult relationship between biographer and subject. It adds a necessary coda to the life and work of this complex, driven, restless man.

The book reveals a hitherto-hidden perspective on the life and work of the spy-turned-author and a fascinating meditation on the complex relationship between biographer and subject. Shakespeare's writing is engaging and insightful, and he brings the reader into the world of John le Carré in a way that few other biographers have been able to do.

Overall, "The Secret Life of John le Carré" is a must-read for anyone interested in the life and work of this iconic figure. It provides a deeper understanding of the man behind the novels and sheds light on the complex relationship between biographer and subject.

Weight: 170g
Dimension: 197 x 129 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800817791
Edition number: Main