A Perfect Spy by John le Carré

John le Carré

David John Moore Cornwell , who writes under the name John le Carré, is an author of espionage novels. During the 1950s and the 1960s, Cornwell worked for MI5 and MI6, and began writing novels under the pseudonym "John le Carré"...

 is a novel about the mental and moral dissolution of a secret agent.

Plot introduction

A Perfect Spy is the tale of Magnus Pym, a long-time spy for the United Kingdom. After attending his father's funeral, Pym mysteriously disappears. His fellow secret agents (not unreasonably) suspect he might have betrayed them — throughout most of his career, Magnus worked for the Czechoslovak secret service. Although intrigue, wit, and suspense compose the novel, the story of Magnus Pym is partly an unadorned recollection of Magnus' childhood and memories of his father Rick Pym.

Structure

The non-linear, memoir

Memoir

A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...

 format incorporates flashbacks to Pym's childhood with the enterprising, charismatic rogue and con-man, Rick; to his early years at school and university; to his many amorous adventures, to indoctrination to espionage

Espionage

Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...

 and state secrets; and to his encounters with long-time friend and Czech spy Axel. Most of the story is told through detailed letters to three important figures: Mary, Pym's second and current wife; Jack Brotherhood, Pym's spy handler, mentor and ubiquitous presence; and his son Tom. The portraits reveal Pym as a man who for so long has manipulated his appearance to those closest to him, that, in the end, he was unable to hold together the conflicting personae in his self. Magnus Pym has been a perfect spy, but at the cost of his soul.

Literary significance and criticism

A Perfect Spy marks John le Carré's transition from writing spy novels, more about character than about gun action, to complex character studies of men and women who are spies. Many readers and literary critics consider this novel his best. Philip Roth called it "the best English novel since the war".

Adaptations

A 1987 TV adaptation of the same name

A Perfect Spy (TV series)

A Perfect Spy is a BBC miniseries adaptation of John le Carré's spy novel of the same name. It follows the career of the British MI6 spy Magnus Pym from his early days as a schoolboy to his eventual disappearance as a suspected agent of the Czech secret service.-Episode one:As a young boy Magnus...

 was produced by the BBC

BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...

 starring Peter Egan

Peter Egan

Peter Egan is a British actor known for playing smooth neighbour Paul Ryman in 1980s sitcom Ever Decreasing Circles. He is married to retired actress Myra Frances.-Early life:...

.
In an audiobook recording of John le Carré reading aloud an abridged version of this book, he introduces the work as THE Perfect Spy.

External links

• John le Carre discusses A Perfect Spy on the BBC World Book Club
  World Book Club
  World Book Club is a radio programme on the BBC World Service. Each edition of the programme, which is broadcast on the first Saturday of the month with repeats into the following Monday, features a famous author discussing one of his or her books, often the most well-known one, with the public...