Diksia.com - John le Carré was one of the most acclaimed and influential writers of spy fiction in the 20th and 21st centuries.
His novels explored the moral ambiguities and ethical dilemmas of espionage, politics and human nature, often featuring his iconic creation, George Smiley, a British intelligence officer who battled his Soviet counterpart, Karla, in a series of Cold War thrillers.
If you are interested in reading John le Carré books, you might wonder where to start and how to follow his complex and interconnected stories.
Here is a guide on how to read John le Carré books in order, based on the publication date, the chronological order and the thematic categories of his works.
Publication Order
The simplest way to read John le Carré books is to follow the publication order, which is also the order that most fans and critics recommend.
This way, you can appreciate the evolution of his style, themes and characters over time, as well as the historical and social contexts that influenced his writing.
John le Carré published 26 novels in his lifetime, from 1961 to 2019, and one posthumous novel in 2021. He also wrote several short stories and non-fiction books.
Here is the complete list of John le Carré books in publication order:
- Call for the Dead (1961)
- A Murder of Quality (1962)
- The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1963)
- The Looking Glass War (1965)
- A Small Town in Germany (1968)
- The Naïve and Sentimental Lover (1971)
- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1974)
- The Honourable Schoolboy (1977)
- Smiley’s People (1979)
- The Little Drummer Girl (1983)
- A Perfect Spy (1986)
- The Russia House (1989)
- The Secret Pilgrim (1990)
- The Night Manager (1993)
- Our Game (1995)
- The Tailor of Panama (1996)
- Single & Single (1999)
- The Constant Gardener (2001)
- Absolute Friends (2003)
- The Mission Song (2006)
- A Most Wanted Man (2008)
- Our Kind of Traitor (2010)
- A Delicate Truth (2013)
- A Legacy of Spies (2017)
- Agent Running in the Field (2019)
- Silverview (2021)
Chronological Order
Another way to read John le Carré books is to follow the chronological order of the events depicted in his novels, especially those that feature George Smiley or his associates.
