The le Carré Cast

A podcast on the world of John le Carré

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Single and Single by John Carré Explored Part 1

In this episode we look at John le Carré’s 1999 novel, SIngle and Single.

Joining me to discuss the book is espionage and nonfiction author Adam Brookes.

We discuss Adam’s first encounters with le Carré, the British boarding school system and tropes seen in le Carré’s female characters? Plus, whether the first chapter of the book makes the book worth reading?

All that and more in this episode.

The Big Con by David Maurer – https://www.amazon.com/Big-Story-Confidence-Man/dp/0385495382

My interview with Adam for Spybrary – https://spybrary.com/conversation-with-spy-author-adam-brookes/

Adam’s Website – https://www.adambrookes.com/ 

Adam’s Twitter – https://twitter.com/AdamBrookesWord 

Adam’s spy trilogy – Night Heron, Spy Games, The Spy’s Daughter – https://www.adambrookes.com/philip-mangan-series 

Fragile Cargo: China’s Wartime Race to Save the Treasures of the Forbidden City – 

US – https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Fragile-Cargo/Adam-Brookes/9781982149291 

UK – https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/441577/fragile-cargo-by-brookes-adam/9781784743796 

Jeff’s site – SpyWrite.com

Jeff’s twitter – @spywrite

Essay Music by Lexin_Music from Pixabay

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One response to “Single and Single by John Carré Explored Part 1”

  1. Steven Ritterman Avatar
    Steven Ritterman

    Brilliant conversation, gentleman….I thoroughly enjoyed it. Outside of NAIVE & SENTIMENTAL LOVER, SINGLE & SINGLE has always been my least liked le Carre. A recent re-reading softened my view, but nonetheless, it remains as such. However, Adam’s analysis of various points made me see things a bit differently…notably, the analysis of the first chapter and how skillful le Carre was in constantly changing the action’s ‘point of view’. Very, very interesting. Whenever/Wherever le Carre is discussed, his weakness writing women is brought up and Adam makes the case convincingly. While ceding the point, it also needs to be said that Tessa/THE CONSTANT GARDENER and Charlie/THE LITTLE DRUMMER GIRL remain as 2 of the most iconic women in spy/thriller writing….let’s give the man his due. Additionally, I totally share Adam’s love of ‘unresolved endings’….especially, those from Alan Furst. In fact, I have first-hand knowledge of this. His RED GOLD is one of my very favorite books. After an entire novel of evading Occupation Forces, his final chapter reads……”The rain stopped, a few black puddles in the cobbled square, and the air smelled like spring. He heard someone in the corridor, then a light knock at the door. Yes, he said?’……….And that’s how it ended. I just couldn’t believe he ended the book with so much up in the air. As chance would have it, I met him shortly afterwards at a book signing and asked him, point-blank, ‘What the hell happens at the end?…..How can you keep your audience hanging like that?’…..he simply smiled and said what ensued was up to the individual reader’s imagination and that everyone would see it differently….Anyway, thanks for a terrific hour, looking forward to Part 2…

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