In this episode, I talk with Scott and Cam of the SpyHards podcast about the first two episodes of THE NIGHT MANAGER season 2. We talk about a season of THE NIGHT MANAGER that never happened due to le Carré’s view of a second season, whether we are happy how they are staking out new […]

In this episode, I talk with John Ramm, who is currently portraying George Smiley in the play The Spy Who Came in from the Cold at Soho Place. We talk about how he ended up with the role, differences between the Festival run and the run on the West End, and working with the cast. […]

In this special end of year episode, I welcome back my guests from this past year to answer two questions – Which le carre novel would you want to read again for the very first time? Why? and What le Carre novel would you most want to pick up and re read right now? Why? […]

In this episode, I welcome le Carré superfan Clay Douglass Major to the show. We talk about his trip to London to see new theater production of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, his visit to Oxford and the le Carré exhibition and touring some of the famous Smiley sites of London. We […]

In this episode, writer and podcaster Keir Graff returns to continue discussing John le Carré’s novel The Russia House. We talk about Barley Blair, Katya and that ending. Plus differences between the movie and the book. Plus, some fun comments from le Carré himself about the book. All that and much more in this episode. […]

In this episode, writer and podcaster Keir Graff joins to discuss John le Carré’s novel The Russia House. We talk about whether book people would make good spies and le Carré’s eye for local details. We also discuss whether this book has more P.G. Wodehouse than other le Carré novels. Plus, would an editor nowadays […]

In this episode, we talk with Helen Lewis and her new book, The Genius Myth. We talk about how to think about artists with problematic pasts, the influence of wives on “geniuses” and how to create a legacy. Plus, what would a le Carré video game look like? All that and more in this episode. […]

In this episode, we welcome Federico Varese to the show. Federico is the co-curator of the new exhibition being held by the Bodelian Libraries showing off some of the materials the library has in the John le Carré archive. He also served as editor of Tradecraft: Writers on John le Carré a new collection of […]

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Jessica Douthwaite to the show. Jessica is the co-curator of the new exhibition being held by the Bodelian Libraries showing off some of the materials the library has in the John le Carré archive. We talk about how Jessica became involved, what a curator does, and how the exhibition […]

In this episode we continue to celebrate 50 years of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by counting up to 50 interesting things about the book. For numbers eleven to twenty point five I’m welcoming Matthew Bradford back to the podcast. We talk that about some of our favorite characters in the novel. From Connie Sachs to […]

In this episode, we continue our year long look at Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy with Tiffany Babb. We talk about her article “Because He Loved You”: The Queer Betrayal of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. We explore how queerness is portrayed in the novel, the complex relationship between Bill and Jim, and why le Carré’s approach […]

In this episode, novelist Michael Idov returns to discuss John le Carré’s novel Our Game. Michael has written for numerous publications, was the Editor in chief of GQ Russia, is also a screenwriter and director and author of the new spy novel The Collaborators. We talk about where Our Game should fit in the le […]

In this episode, novelist Michael Idov joins me to discuss John le Carré’s novel Our Game. Michael has written for numerous publications, was the Editor in chief of GQ Russia, is also a screenwriter and director and author of the new spy novel The Collaborators. We talk about why we enjoy one of le Carré’s […]

In this episode, novelist Scott O’Connor returns to continue our discussion of John le Carré’s novel The Constant Gardener. We explore significant characters like Tessa and Arnold Bloom, discussing their roles and revelations about sexuality and societal norms in Kenya. We also talk about the moral complexities faced by Justin, and just what the one […]

In this episode, creative writing teacher and acclaimed writer Scott O’Connor joins to explore the layered complexities of John le Carré’s novel The Constant Gardener. The discussion ranges from O’Connor’s initial discovery of le Carrés works while researching for his own novel, Half World, to the idea that readers often connect with books differently depending […]

In this mini episode, Mark Meynell returns to explain just what that whole High Church/Low Church concept discussed in A Murder of Quality is about. Mark explains the historical and social distinctions between the two, detailing how Anglicanism and its relationship with non-conformist denominations shaped British society and class systems over time. He also touches […]

In the latest episode of the le Carré Cast, host Jeff continues his discussion with Mark Meynell about the themes and narrative intricacies of John le Carré’s A Legacy of Spies. The conversation explores how le Carré revisits and deconstructs the world and characters he created in The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, […]

In this episode of the le Carré Cast, host Jeff speaks with Mark Meynell, a freelance writer and author of ten non-fiction books, about his transition to writing fiction and his recent book, ‘A Wilderness of Mirrors.’ The discussion covers Mark’s discovery of John le Carré’s works, particularly A Legacy of Spies. They delve into […]

In part two of my discussion with Sleeper Beach novelist Nick Harkaway we discuss the latest in le Carré news. Nick talks about the upcoming adaptation of one of his novels into an Amason Prime show Kill Jackie, season 2 of The Night Manager and an update about the new comic series, The Circus: Losing […]

In this episode I am pleased to welcome back novelist Nick Harkaway. We discuss his latest work, Sleeper Beach, the second in his Titanium Noir series of futuristic mysteries. We talk about his earlier nonfiction book The Blind Giant, how we should be using technologies, and what does it mean when tech companies turn un-Evil. […]