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Review
'It is an achievement of subtlety and power of which few novelists would be capable. Standing by itself it is the best single thing le Carré has done' (Financial Times )
'An enormously skilled and satisfying work'
'An enormously skilled and satisfying work'
(Newsweek )
Newsweek
‘An enormously skilled and satisfying work’
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
54 of 55 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
For readers new to le Carre(and there can't be many)this is the third of what has become known as the "karla series".The previous two being "tinker,tailor,soldier, spy" and the herioc and romantic "honorable schoolboy"(highly reccomended too).The third sees much of the same cast collected again.You meet clever and dodgy Toby Esterhazy,the valient and niave Peter Guillam,a forgoten Russian General, an intelligence pimp,a collection of 2 dimensional whitehall twits as a foil,and as always a most humane cast of extras.The most humane being the conscience wracked George Smiley himself.As for villians you have the afformentioned whitehall boys, a convincing KGB thug and a villian of Moriaty proportion in Karla;Smileys foe for many years.The plot?Smiley is brought back once again from retirement to fight against his old enemy.A fight both personal and patriotic.It is the height of the cold war,his brief is strictly unofficial and he calls in favours and friends as his allies(thus the title).The locations?Paris,the bleakest Germany you have ever met,a sumptious Switzerland and of course grey,beaurocratic London.The drama?Betrayal.Le Carre's constant theme.Of wives,country,friendships and finally of the morality that has sustained Smiley through the long years of the cold war. Its a great read.Le Carre at his peak(though the semi autobiographical "a perfect spy" deserves a mention).If you haven't read the two others you can read this one alone. Wonder aloud afterwards how Deighton and co. can hold their head up in public.Le Carre is another world of thriller writers.I recomend you read all three but this one is one of the best you will ever read.
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
To my mind "Smiley's people" is the quint-essentially English spy novel. It has a fascinating many-stranded story that slowly builds into something special.
The story focuses on George Smiley (The main character from "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy") as he tries to track down his old nemesis - the Russian spy-master Karla. But we meet many interesting characters, and visit many diverse locations on the way.
In this book, we are as far removed from James Bond fantasy as it's possible to get. (Think of be-spectacled men in grey suits drinking tea and pouring over dusty old Whitehall files - and you'll have more of the right idea).
Does this mean that it's dull and boring then? Far from it:-
It is a brilliantly written mixture of detective investigation, espionage, and character study which builds slowly but surely to a wonderfully understated yet perfect conclusion.
If you're a fan of the genre (or even just of a good book) - don't miss it.
Mph.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
In retrospect it seems odd that I'd never read this book before since I've always been a big fan of Le Carre & especially his earlier Smiley books - Call for the Dead, A murder of Quality & , of course, Tinker Tailor. I think I was slightly put off by the TV adaptation, which I found slightly disappointing compared to the TV version of Tinker Tailor (which is in my top 3 TV series of all time). Another reason may have been that when I read The Honourable Schoolboy (some 20 years ago) I found it rather hard work & again slightly disappointing after Tinker Tailor (the book), & assumed that Smiley's People would be more of the same.
All the recent publicity about Le Carre made me think I really ought to give it a go now & as a prelude I re-read The Honourable Schoolboy, which I enjoyed immensely 2nd time around. Then I opened Smiley's People & had one of the most pleasurable surprises of my literary life - it was absolutely rivetting ! The first 100 odd pages had me completely mesmerised & I just wanted the story to go on & on & never stop. This is writing of the highest order, dialogue, characters & plot all blending in a seamless & seemingly effortless yet tantalizing fashion. It is without doubt & comfortably the best of his works that I have read & goes easily in to my list of all time favourite books by any author.
It seems pointless trying to describe what the book is actually about since all you really need to know is that, as the title suggests, it involves George Smiley & some of his old Circus chums having their last hoorah. If you want to know more then just read the book.
All the recent publicity about Le Carre made me think I really ought to give it a go now & as a prelude I re-read The Honourable Schoolboy, which I enjoyed immensely 2nd time around. Then I opened Smiley's People & had one of the most pleasurable surprises of my literary life - it was absolutely rivetting ! The first 100 odd pages had me completely mesmerised & I just wanted the story to go on & on & never stop. This is writing of the highest order, dialogue, characters & plot all blending in a seamless & seemingly effortless yet tantalizing fashion. It is without doubt & comfortably the best of his works that I have read & goes easily in to my list of all time favourite books by any author.
It seems pointless trying to describe what the book is actually about since all you really need to know is that, as the title suggests, it involves George Smiley & some of his old Circus chums having their last hoorah. If you want to know more then just read the book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
exquisitely executed
As far as spy thrillers go this is a perfect storm. Pacing, characterisation, mood, the lurking threat, it's all done brilliantly. Read more
Published 20 days ago by bookster1
Like a glass of good malt, if that's your thing
I came to Le Carre through the TV series and was keen to see how the adaptation had been done and what if anything might have been missed. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mallen
Le Carre favourite
If you like Le Carre you'll like this book. It's the follow up to Tinker Tailor etc now out as a film . Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mr. Alan J. Bruce
Another good Le Carre read!
This book is very entertaining as one might expect from Le Carre and also arrived very quickly, as well as in good condition.
Published 3 months ago by AnnM52
Excellent, atmospheric and subtle.
An excellent, atmospheric and subtle novel with wonderful character observation. An excellent conclusion to the Karla trilogy. Perhaps le Carré's best.
Published 4 months ago by D. Morgan
Smiley's People
Smiley's People arrived in good time and was exactly as described. Happy with overall service and the product on this occasion.
Published 4 months ago by James Grant
Classic spy story
This is the final in the trilogy regarding Karla, the Russian opposition to Smiley. It lacks the action of The Honourable Schoolboy and has a pedantic pace. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Thirty five
Classic of the genre
WELL, I was motivated to read this after I saw the recent film 'Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy'. It was my first Le Carre, and I enjoyed it immensely. Read more
Published 6 months ago by ijhodgson
John le Carre
The BBC TV series is one of my all time favourites, so I bought the Karla trilogy to see how close it was to the original books.
Published 10 months ago by J. G. Spry
Smiley's People,
I like the Le Carre novels and have downloaded a selection for when I'm away. Its great having them on my Kindle I don't have to carry the books and can induldge whenever I want. Read more
Published 17 months ago by pspanner
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