NPR

In 'A Legacy Of Spies,' John Le Carré Goes Back Out In 'The Cold'

Former CIA operative Valerie Plame says pop culture doesn't usually get espionage right — but le Carré comes close. His new novel is a kind of prequel to 1963's The Spy Who Came in From the Cold.

George Smiley is back.

For the first time in 25 years, John le Carré has written a new novel featuring the spy at the center of some his most popular books. The new release, A Legacy of Spies, is a kind of prequel to The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (1963), the book that made le Carré famous and changed spy novels forever.

In A Legacy of Spies, le Carré goes deep into Smiley's past, re-examining the role he and his cohorts played in The Spy, a story of betrayal and deception that ends badly at the Berlin Wall.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR2 min read
TikTok Faces Its Biggest Threat Yet; Earth Day Tips For Sustainable Living
The House passed a bill that would ban TikTok unless the China-based ByteDance sells it. These small changes will help you live more sustainably.
NPR2 min read
Oncologists' Meetings With Drug Reps Don't Help Cancer Patients Live Longer
Drug company reps commonly visit doctors to talk about new medications. A team of economists wanted to know if that helps patients live longer. They found that for cancer patients, the answer is no.
NPR2 min read
Europe Is Warming Up Faster Than Any Other Continent, And The Heat Is Deadly
The number of heat-related deaths in Europe increased 30% in the last 20 years. Climate change is to blame.

Related Books & Audiobooks