The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels
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Dead Drop – Letters in Spy Fiction and Reality Part 2
The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels
11/14/22 • -1 min
We are back with part 2 of our look at the letter in spy fiction and reality. Listen to part 1 here.
We talk about the novel to read if you want to imagine you’re a CIA analyst, the first techno-thriller and learn about how real spies are communicating right now! All that and much more in this episode.
I’m pleased to welcome back to the show critic and author Jeremy Duns.
Plus listen in for Alma Katsu, former member of the NSA and CIA and now spy author, as she weighs in on the future of the letter in spy operations.
Get a letter of your own from me. Email your address to lecarrecast [at] gmail [dot] com and I will send a spy letter of your very own.
The book A Private Spy: The Letters of John le Carré has just been released in the UK and we’ll be taking a look at that book once it’s released in the US in December.
Jeremy’s twitter – @JeremyDuns
Jeremy’s Website – Jeremy-Duns.com
Jeff’s site – SpyWrite.com
Jeff’s twitter – @spywrite
Alma Katsu’s website is here.
Order her novel Red Widow here.
Pre-order her novel Red London here.
My interview with Alma for Spybrary is here.
Notes:
More on Eric Ambler’s novels here.
More on Charles Mccarry’s The Miernick Dossier here.
More on Riddle of the Sands here.
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After le Carré: Sarah Gainham Explored Part 2
The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels
08/26/24 • -1 min
Part 1 can be found here.
We are back with part 2 of this look at the novelist Sarah Gainham. I continue to be joined in the discussion with writer Jeremy Duns.
The episode begins with a recounting of a passage from ‘The Stone Roses,’ one of Gainham’s novels. We then discuss several of Gainham’s works, including ‘Time Right Deadly,’ ‘The Cold Dark Night,’ and ‘The Silent Hostage,’ exploring themes like politics, espionage, and deep human character studies.
We also have an upcoming interview with Jonathan Ray, Gainham’s godson, to gain more insights into the author’s life and inspirations.
All that and more in this episode.
01:41 Exploring Sarah Gainham’s Novels
02:05 Time Right Deadly: A Deep Dive
05:57 The Myth Maker: Kit Quest’s Adventure
11:37 The Stone Roses: A Recognizable Title
16:23 The Cold Dark Night: Berlin’s Espionage
25:25 Silent Hostage: Romance and Espionage 3
0:54 Ranking Sarah Gainham’s Novels
33:44 Upcoming Interview with Jonathan Ray
35:15 Closing Remarks and Other Podcasts
Title Fight! The Good, the Bad and Ugly of Spy Book Titles with Jeremy Duns and Jeff Quest. (102)Jeremy’s twitter – @JeremyDuns
Jeremy’s Website – Jeremy-Duns.com
Jeff’s site – SpyWrite.com
Jeff’s twitter – @spywrite
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After le Carré: Sarah Gainham Explored Part 1
The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels
08/19/24 • -1 min
Discovering Sarah Gainham: Unveiling the Overlooked Cold War Novelist
In this episode of the le Carré Cast, we introduce a new feature – ‘After le Carré,’ spotlighting authors beyond John le Carré. Jeff welcomes back Jeremy Duns, writer and spy fiction enthusiast, to discuss Sarah Gainham, a lesser-known but richly talented spy novelist. They delve into the essential elements of le Carré’s works, Gainham’s life and career, and especially her novel The Tiger, Life.
The discussion explores Gainham’s intricate plotting, authentic depictions of Cold War espionage, and her personal experiences that shaped her stories. The episode wraps up with intriguing insights into the realities of spy life and the dynamic between Gainham and her contemporaries.
All that and more in this episode.
00:00 Welcome to the le Carré Cast
00:38 Introducing ‘After le Carré’
00:48 Guest Introduction: Jeremy Duns
01:01 Defining a le Carré Novel
03:21 Spotlight on Sarah Gainham
06:24 Sarah Gainham’s Life and Career
09:30 Exploring Gainham’s Spy Novels
16:22 The Tiger, Life: Gainham’s Masterpiece
23:41 Debating Book Titles and Their Impact
26:33 Exploring the Novel’s Setting and Characters
28:23 Autobiographical Elements and Espionage
30:02 Complex Relationships and Character Analysis
39:38 Real-Life Inspirations and Historical Context
44:29 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes
Title Fight! The Good, the Bad and Ugly of Spy Book Titles with Jeremy Duns and Jeff Quest. (102)Jeremy’s twitter – @JeremyDuns
Jeremy’s Website – Jeremy-Duns.com
Jeff’s site – SpyWrite.com
Jeff’s twitter – @spywrite
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Top 5 letters in A Private Spy: The Letters of John le Carré
The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels
12/06/22 • -1 min
Donate to Room to Read here or share the link – http://tinyurl.com/spiesread
We are back with a look at the new release A Private Spy: The Letters of John le Carré. I’m pleased to welcome Steven Ritterman, one of the foremost collectors of le Carré in the world, to the show.
Steven reveals his top five letters from the recently released book. We talk about the letters as well as a bit about what else the estate may end up releasing. All that and more in this episode!
Steven’s Top Five John le Carré Letters
5. Le Carré’s letter to pharma execs following the release of The Constant Gardener.
4. Le Carré’s letter to Tom Stoppard answering the question of just why he shelved his posthumously released novel Silverview.
3. Le Carré’s letter on his approach to writing his novel A Legacy of Spies.
2. Le Carré’s letter to his wife and sons looking at his past family relationships.
Bonus Letter – Le Carré talks about writing another Smiley post Legacy.
1. A writer puts down his pen
Others letters we discuss touch on his relationship with his stepmother, his care about his work and readers, and the proper spelling of his pen name.
Get a letter of your own from me. Email your address to lecarrecast [at] gmail [dot] com and I will send a spy letter of your very own.
Interact with Steven and other spy fans on the Spybrary Facebook discussion group – https://www.spybrary.com/facebook
Jeff’s site – SpyWrite.com
Jeff’s twitter – @spywrite
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Interview – Nick Harkaway on Karla’s Choice
The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels
10/22/24 • -1 min
Donate to #TeamEvie and the Literally Healing program at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. Go to TinyURL.com/giveTE to make a monetary donation to the Literally Healing program or go to TinyURL.com/TeamE24, pick a book and make sure to pick Team Evie as the shipping location. That’s so much for your support.
In this episode I am pleased to welcome novelist Nick Harkaway, talking about his latest work, Karla’s Choice, a continuation of the George Smiley saga. The discussion navigates through Nick’s experiences growing up with his father, John le Carré, and the influence on his own writing journey.
We discuss the challenges of upholding a literary legacy, Nick’s career transition from screenwriting to novel writing, and the evolution of characters within the espionage universe created by his father.
We talk returning characters and how spying is magic. Plus, Wikipedia controversies, le Carré’s changing voice, and the difficulty of titling a book.
All that and much more in this episode.
Nick’s website – https://nickharkaway.com/
Nick’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/harkaway/
Buy Karla’s Choice – https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/763435/karlas-choice-by-nick-harkaway/
Jeff’s site – SpyWrite.com
Jeff’s twitter – @spywrite
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His Secret Sharer – The hidden truths of John le Carré – Episode 2
The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels
10/14/21 • 15 min
In this episode I provide an introduction to the world’s most famous spy writer.
John le Carré began writing novels as a way to relieve the boredom of his duties as an upper-class raised British diplomat. That was what the world was told. The reality was that he wrote under a pseudonym; in truth he was a spy for MI6. His ability to live two lives at once was what made him both a successful spy as well as one of the most famous espionage novelists of all time.
Much of the research came from Adam Sisman’s essential biography of le Carré.
James Olson’s book Fair Play was also quite helpful along with the collection of le Carré interviews called Conversations with John le Carré edited by Matthew J. Bruccoli and Judith S. Baughman.
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Call for the Dead by John le Carré Explored Part 2 – Episode 7
The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels
12/23/21 • 46 min
In Part Two of this deep dive into Call for the Dead I welcome back guest Bee to discuss John le Carré’s first novel. We continue to get lots of hot takes on the novel from someone who has done a very close reading of le Carré’s work, but especially Call for the Dead.
We discuss how le Carrê views espionage versus police work, Smiley’s masculinity, and just what is really going on between Smiley and Frey.
Plus we decide whether Guillam is a fool and how interconnected all of le Carré’s characters are. All that and much more in this episode.
Bee’s twitter – @holodeckfreud
More on Klaus Fuchs here.
Jeff’s site – SpyWrite.com
Jeff’s twitter – @spywrite
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Call for the Dead by John le Carré Explored Part 1 – Episode 5
The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels
11/12/21 • 0 min
In Part One of this deep dive into Call for the Dead I welcome guest Bee to discuss John le Carré’s first novel. In this provocative conversation we get plenty of hot takes on the novel from someone who has done a very close reading of all of le Carré’s work, but especially Call for the Dead.
We discuss how Smiley is different in this first novel from later books, le Carré’s portrayal of Jewish characters and George and Ann’s relationship.
Plus Steed-Asprey’s terrible gift giving, whether Call for the Dead is a good title and le Carré’s worst line. All that and much more in this very fun episode.
Bee’s twitter – @holodeckfreud
More than you ever wanted to know about Dresden Porcelain here.
Jeff’s site – SpyWrite.com
Jeff’s twitter – @spywrite
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Silverview by John le Carré Explored Part 2 – Episode 9
The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels
01/13/22 • -1 min
In Part two of this four part look at Silverview Matthew Bradford and I continue to discuss John le Carré’s final complete novel. In our second part we talk about the settings of the novel.
We discuss le Carré success in capturing life in a coastal town, the connection between W.G. Sebald’s The Rings of Saturn and Silverview, and why East Anglia loves it’s abandoned airfields.
Plus we talk about when le Carré shifted from Circus to Service and the most awkward dinner party ever. All that and much more in this episode.
East Anglia – Wiki link
W.G. Sebald – Wiki link
Patience – A documentary on W.G. Sebald’s The Rings of Saturn – Youtube link
House Nietzsche – Villa Silberblick
Matthew’s twitter – @doubleosection
Matthew’s Website – Double O Section
Jeff’s site – SpyWrite.com
Jeff’s twitter – @spywrite
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Tinker at 50 w/ Dominic Sandbrook
The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels
06/24/24 • -1 min
In this episode of the Le Carré Cast, Jeff interviews British historian Dominic Sandbrook. They delve into Sandbrook’s introduction to John le Carré’s works, particularly Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and discuss the author’s literary impact and historical context. The conversation covers le Carré’s influence during Britain’s 1970s cultural and political landscape, along with Sandbrook’s personal exploration and critique of le Carré’s novels.
The episode also highlights Harold Wilson and Smiley, le Carré and Margaret Thatcher, and just how much should we know about our literary heroes.
Plus, a le Carré Assassin’s Creed and Star Wars’ Andor?
- 00:00 Introduction to the le Carré Cast
- 01:16 Dominic’s First Encounter with le Carré
- 02:49 The Impact of Le Carré’s Works
- 05:10 The 50th Anniversary of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
- 13:38 Harold Wilson and George Smiley: A Comparison
- 17:49 The Dark Mood of 1970s Britain
- 20:54 Le Carré’s Literary Mastery
- 26:30 Critique of Le Carré’s Writing Style
- 28:16 Le Carré and Margaret Thatcher: An Unlikely Admiration
- 30:07 The Complexity of Le Carré’s Political Views
- 31:09 Balancing Biography and Privacy
- 34:59 Le Carré’s Literary Legacy
- 36:27 Le Carré in Popular Culture
- 39:45 The Future of Le Carré’s Works
42:10 Lightning Round: Assassin’s Creed and Andor - 45:40 Closing Remarks and Podcast Recommendations
Dominic’s website – https://dominicsandbrook.com/
Dominic’s Twitter – https://x.com/dcsandbrook
The Rest is History club – https://therestishistory.supportingcast.fm/
Jeff’s site – SpyWrite.com
Jeff’s twitter – @spywrite
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FAQ
How many episodes does The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels have?
The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels currently has 48 episodes available.
What topics does The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture, Podcasts, Books and Arts.
What is the most popular episode on The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels?
The episode title 'John le Carré – A rememberance – Episode 3' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels?
The average episode length on The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels is 42 minutes.
How often are episodes of The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels released?
Episodes of The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels are typically released every 14 days, 20 hours.
When was the first episode of The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels?
The first episode of The le Carré Cast - A podcast on John le Carré novels was released on Oct 14, 2021.
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