John le Carré's stories of Cold War espionage are absolute classics – Angus Robertson

For lovers of espionage literature and films, the name of John le Carré is synonymous with the best works set during the Cold War.

John le Carre pictured in August 2005 (Photo: Eamonn McCabe/Popperfoto via Getty Images)

His books, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, are amongst his 25 works which are absolute classics.

Last weekend the 89-year-old writer died after a short illness and tributes have been paid to him as an “undisputed giant of English literature” by contemporary greats including Robert Harris, Margaret Attwood and Stephen King.

I came late to le Carré’s works when researching espionage in post-war Austria while based in Vienna as a journalist. It turns out that David Cornwell, as he was called in real life, cut his teeth in the Alpine republic as a junior intelligence officer in Graz, before serving with MI5.

He then transferred to MI6 where he was lectured on aggressive covert action by assistant chief George Kennedy Smith, who had previously been Station Chief at the British Embassy in Vienna.

Years later le Carre would write The Perfect Spy, whose characters included Magnus Pym, the MI6 head of station and “Counsellor for Certain Unmentionable Matters” at the UK Embassy in the Austrian capital.

Like many other people this festive break, I will be re-reading John le Carré and watching the films and TV series that will no doubt be re-run in his honour.

And if you haven’t had the chance to dip your toe into the Cold War waters, I would recommend doing the same.

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