Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · 2h

It's Bookshop Day tomorrow in the UK
#BookshopDay

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · 21h

If you haven't been to @bodleian.ox.ac.uk #Tradecraft exhibition yet it is well worth a visit. Splendid to behold!

Thanks to Richard Ovenden, co-curators - Federico Varese and Jessica Douthwaite and Mick Herron.

4 18

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · 2d

'For le Carré, research was everything; his fictional scenarios, he believed, needed to take place against entirely believable backdrops, if he was going to convincingly grapple with real-life conflicts and issues.'

www.the-independent.com/arts-enterta...

Inside the meticulous, marvellous mind of John le Carré

A new exhibition opens up the spy writer’s sprawling literary archive to shed light on his idiosyncratic creative process. Katie Rosseinsky explores how he brought George Smiley and co to life

www.the-independent.com

1 4 11

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · 6d

Publishing next week Schott's Significa offers an indispensable field guide into the secret languages that surround us.

Of particular note, the glossary of the dark arts of tradecraft, and le Carré's influence on the fictional and real world is well worth a read: www.waterstones.com/book/schott-...

1 4

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · 8d

The Bodleian Libraries’ new exhibition #Tradecraft which draws upon the vast archive of John le Carré is now open to the public.
And do make sure to pause at the gift shop to see if you can spot the new John le Carré merchandise...
visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/lecarre

John le Carré: Tradecraft

Free exhibition at the Bodleian Libraries in Oxford

visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk

3 12

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · 15d

In the Guardian, Nick Harkaway shared the books of his life from Lord of the Rings to The Hound of the Baskervilles with a special mention to A Murder of Quality by John le Carré.

www.theguardian.com/books/2025/s...

Nick Harkaway: ‘I loathed Charles Dickens – it nearly turned me off reading for ever’

The author on his secret theories about Tolkien, the most perfect and terrifying Moomin book, and how his father, John le Carré, inspired him

www.theguardian.com

2

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · Aug 12

@nickharkaway.com joins Georgina Godwin to discuss life with John le Carré and carrying on his legacy in Karla's Choice.
Listen now: monocle.com/radio/shows/...

2 4

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · Aug 6

"Survival... is an infinite capacity for suspicion."

Do you know which book we're looking at this month?

1 1

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · Jul 31

We are delighted to announce that we have been working with @darkhorse.com to produce a trilogy of comic books set in John le Carré’s Circus: London, present day. The story features the Mothers - the assistants to the various disciplines in the Circus: in this case, Maggie, ‘Mother’ to Control.

1 8

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · Jul 23

'Le Carré wrote 26 novels before he died, in 2020. He traveled to research many of them'

This piece in the @theatlantic.com sees Honor Jones ‘Chasing le Carré in Corfu’, specifically The Perfect Spy.

Chasing le Carré in Corfu

If you’re trying to find someone who doesn’t want to be found, you don’t go to the obvious places.

www.theatlantic.com

2 9

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · Jul 22

“Le Carre’s researcher’s spirit, commitment to understanding real-world problems, meticulous attention to detail and working relationships are uncovered in an engaging and colourful review of his life and career.”

Read more about the Tradecraft exhibit in the Oxford Mail.

John Le Carre archive to go on display, including letter from Alec Guinness

Le Carre, whose real name was David Cornwell, wrote best-selling novels including Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Night Manager.

www.oxfordmail.co.uk

2 7

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · Jul 17

Take a break and listen to actor David Harewood read from A Small Town in Germany.

www.theguardian.com/books/video/...

David Harewood reads from John le Carré's A Small Town in Germany – video

To celebrate the publication of John le Carré’s first memoir The Pigeon Tunnel this month, actor David Harewood reads from the author’s 1968 novel A Small Town in Germany

www.theguardian.com

2 7

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · Jul 15

Could be a fun word game...

5 16

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · Jul 11

'I can testify to the accuracy of John le Carré’s research...'
William Wallace
Liberal Democrat, House of Lords

www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...

John le Carré: the constant researcher | Brief letters

Brief letters: An embassy in West Germany | Norman Tebbit | Penis reduction | The Salt Path

www.theguardian.com

5

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · Jul 8

The @bodleianlibraries at the University of Oxford have announced an exhibition starting in October, titled John le Carré: Tradecraft, drawing on thousands of papers in his vast private archive, which it holds.

www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/cele...

John Le Carre archive to go on display, including letter from Alec Guinness

Le Carre, whose real name was David Cornwell, wrote best-selling novels including Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Night Manager.

www.standard.co.uk

3 15

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · Jul 7

Are you signed up to the John le Carré monthly newsletter?

Sign up now: bit.ly/JLCSignUp

1 5

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · Jul 2

The Sunday Times recommends 10 audiobooks for your summer holidays.

'Audiobooks offer backlisted books a chance to shine anew. And when one is matched with a dream partner as narrator — Simon Russell Beale as John le Carré’s George Smiley — you are reminded why you fell so hard in the first place.'

The best audiobooks to listen to this summer

Graham Greene, Margaret Atwood and Jilly Cooper feature in our critic’s list of the best modern classics adapted for an audio experience

www.thetimes.com

1 3

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · Jun 20

Celebrating its 60th birthday, The Looking Glass War is a gripping novel of double-crosses, audacious bluffs and the ever-present threat of nuclear war.

Over the years it has been published with many different faces, which is your favourite cover and which do you own?

2 2 9

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · Jun 18

Nick Harkaway, joins Simon Mayo and Matt Williams for a chat about his new Circus novel – Karla's Choice.

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/n...

Nick Harkaway

Podcast Episode · Simon Mayo's Books Of The Year · 18/06/2025 · 38m

podcasts.apple.com

3

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · Jun 11

On this day: 11th June 2001 –

Please take comfort from this: I had an amazing life, against the odds. I turned from a bad man to a much better one.

John le Carré
Letter to his sons, to be opened after his death
news.lettersofnote.com/p/how-do-we-...

How do we exist, save on the lips of our friends?

On this day in letters

news.lettersofnote.com

1 3 10

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · Jun 4

This month's book is celebrating its 60th anniversary.

Do you know which book it is?

#JohnleCarré #FirstLine

3 3

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · May 22

'Karla’s Choice breathes new life into the murky world of the Circus. If you haven’t read any Smiley books, then this wouldn’t be a bad place to start' – The Sunday Times

Karla's Choice is out today in paperback.

Perfect bank holiday reading: linktr.ee/realjohnleca...

1 2

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · May 21

“He was an optimist, he believed in people and that we could build a better world”

Nick Harkaway spoke to the The Guardian about John le Carré as it’s announced that The Spy Who Came in from the Cold opens in the West End this November.

www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/m...

5

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · May 19

“All men are born free: just not for long.”

#JohnleCarré #AMurderofQuality #GeorgeSmiley #quoteoftheday

2 6

John le Carré @realjohnlecarre.bsky.social · May 9

Love to see it

1 1