John le Carré Remembered as ‘Superb’ Writer With Style and Substance

Cynthia Littleton
·3 min read
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John le Carré was lauded Sunday as a writer’s writer whose productivity and singular storytelling style was praised by fans ranging from late night star Seth Meyers to fellow novelists Stephen King and Paulo Coelho.

Le Carré, who died Dec. 12 at the age of 89, was known as a master of espionage fiction who turned out 25 novels over more than a half-century of writing. His signature works — including “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” and “The Spy Who Came in From the Cold” — captured drama and tension of Cold War geopolitical jockeying like no other contemporary scribe.

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Le Carré’s novels were widely adapted as film and TV properties over the years, including 2005’s “The Constant Gardener,” which earned an Oscar for star Rachel Weisz, and 1965’s “The Spy Who Came in From the Cold,” starring Richard Burton. AMC had a hit in 2016 with limited series “The Night Manager,” starring Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie.

King praised le Carré as a “literary giant and humanitarian spirit” on Twitter.

Le Carré buffs praised the scribe’s ability to write propulsive thrillers that reflected the political conflicts of the times. He was also an ace at examining how cultural and social changes affected political agendas and the age-old work of spycraft.

Meyers, host of NBC’s “Late Night With Seth Meyers,” hailed “Tinker Tailor” as “the gold standard for espionage fiction.

Showrunner Michael Schur, posting under the Twitter handle Ken Tremendous, called the British novelist “one of the greatest prose writers of the last 60 years, in any genre.”

Acclaimed Brazilian novelist Coelho described him simply as “visionary.”

Mark Harris, journalist and author of “Five Came Back” and other showbiz histories, praised le Carré’s versatility over the years.

Others admired his stamina and ability to work up until his final days.

(Pictured: 2016’s “The Night Manager”)

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