From the Bookshelf of Never too Late to Read Classics…

The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (George Smiley, #3)

John Le Carré

Start date: September 1, 2020

Finish date: September 30, 2020

Find A Copy At

Group Discussions About This Book

No group discussions for this book yet.

What Members Thought

Dec 04, 2020 Chrissie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audible-uk, england, mystery, 2021-read, suspense, espionage, holland, germany, love, comics

The Spy Who Came In from the Cold is by the British author commonly referred to as John le Carré, which is David John Moore Cornwell’s pseudonym. Bon in 1931, he died a little more than a month ago, on Dec 12, 2020. I figured it was about time I read one of his books! I have hesitated because books of espionage scare me. Why? I fear I will be so confused I will not be able to follow the story. I was confused along the way, but as one approaches the end, the muddle clears.

The British spy Alec Le ...more

35 likes · Like · see review

Mar 03, 2008 Laura rated it it was amazing

Shelves: british-literature, suspense-thriller, espionage, fiction-20th-century, book-and-movie

British agent Alec Leamas refuses to come in from the Cold War during the 1960s, choosing to face another mission, which may prove to be his final one.

A movie was made based on this book, with Richard Burton, Oskar Werner, Claire Bloom. Directed by Martin Ritt.

12 likes · Like · see review

Jul 07, 2020 Karen rated it liked it

Shelves: 1001

This is the book that put John Le Carre on the map. In the introduction my edition of the book, Le Carre mentions that he wrote this after seeing the Berlin wall go up.

I liked the book, better than The Night Manager, but I didn't love it. The plot in the last few chapters had so many twists and turns, that they made up for the slower chapters in the rest of the book. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jun 05, 2020 Brenda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: spy-novels, on-my-shelf

I liked the book. LeCarré is one of my favorite authors.
This was a quick read, but in usual LeCarré fashion I was left anxiously guessing till the very end.

1 like · Like · see review

May 16, 2018 Rachel rated it really liked it

Read this aloud with the kids as a quintessential spy novel. Super dark. We were a little shocked at the not happy ending – or I was. Jonathan just said, “Well, it’s realistic.” It is well done, for sure.

Like · see review