This episode we are back from a summer break with part two of our discussion of John le Carré’s 1979 novel Smiley’s People with returning guest Charles Beaumont, a former undercover MI6 operative and author of A Spy Alone and A Spy at War.

We debate Connie Sachs repetitive return, talk Smiley and sex-clubs and Smiley’s discovery of torn-postcard tradecraft, and touch on Smiley’s rare flash of anger.

Plus, is this the end of Smiley and Ann’s relationship?

Finally we talk le Carré’s omniscient, conversational narration, Sherlock Holmes parallels, late-1970s British malaise, and Beaumont’s upcoming novel A Spy Returns and challenges of writing contemporary geopolitics like Ukraine.

All that and more in this episode!

Charles’ novels A Spy Alone and A Spy at War – https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/K03/oxford-spy-ring/

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