Books

London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1974-1979. First editions of each title in the author's acclaimed Karla Trilogy. Octavo, original cloth, 3 volumes. Each volume is signed by John le Carre on a bookplate to the title page. Each is near fine in near fine dust jackets. An exceptional set, uncommon in this condition and signed. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy garnered instant praise for Le Carre as "[t]he premier spy novelist of his time. Perhaps of all time" (Time). "Le Carre is simply the world's greatest fictional spymaster" (Newsweek). Le Carre’s inspiration drew from his experience of the revealing of the Cambridge Five traitors in the 1950s and ‘60s (Anthony, 2009), and the novel’s popularity can be seen in relation to those shocking events. In 2011, the novel was adapted into a successful film, starring Gary Oldman and Colin Firth, and it received three nominations at the 84th Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Actor. This…

The final novel of the Karla Trilogy, featuring spymaster George Smiley, who must bring a Cold War nemesis to justice.