I’ve mentioned many times that my favourite writer is John le Carré and my favourite novel by him, and all-time favourite of all I’ve ever read is ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’. I’ve not read all of his other books, but I have read many of them, but one I bought a couple of years ago, I have only just finished reading. It was his last ever book, published posthumously having been “completed for publication“, by his son Nick Cornwell. Nick comments that his work on the manuscript was “more like retouching a painting than completing a novel.“
This last book, which I finished reading last night, is ‘Silverview’, As I mentioned, I bought it a couple of years ago but somehow I didn’t read it, as if reading his last ever novel would be like a final farewell. Obviously I can read the other of his books I haven’t yet read, and reread the ones I have, but for there never to be any more felt almost like a bereavement – I’m over-stating it of course. I had avoided as far as possible reading any reviews or comments on ‘Silverview’, but I must have picked up some thoughts on how it had been received; I got the impression others were glad it wasn’t awful, sorry it wasn’t as good as his previous works, some thought maybe it shouldn’t have been shared with the world, others were glad it had.
It’s no surprise that it’s set in the world of secret squirrels and surveillance, of murmured conversations and casual observations, of double dealing, double speaking, obfuscation, hints and nudges. I felt very much that I was drawn into it, slightly baffled, but trusting that all would become clear… and I think it did, well, I think I grasped it, I think I understood. However, tonight I’ll start it again, and reread it, and only when I finish it – take two, will I look at reviews and find out what others think.
Lois Elsden 
Dear Lois
we have all the books of John le Carré in our library, but we have only read “Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy” and “The Spy Who Came from the Cold”. Now you make us read “Silverview” when we have finished “Her Fearful Symmetry”, an old book by Audrey Niffenegger.
We wish you an easy week
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Dear Four, thanks for reminding me of Audrey Niffenegger, I must reread her! 🙂
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This secret squirrel was real and better than Bond or Bourne or any other assassin so here are 50 plus reasons why Hollywood should make a film based on the life of the accountant/banker come spy Bill Fairclough’s. Fairclough (MI6 codename JJ) aka Edward Burlington is the protagonist in TheBurlingtonFiles series of fact based spy thrillers. If you enjoy noir and genuine espionage read the news article dated 7 August 2023 entitled Bill Fairclough’s Known Life-threatening Incidents in TheBurlingtonFiles website and thank your god you are still alive. After all, you probably weren’t protected by Pemberton’s People in MI6 (see another intriguing news article in the same website dated 31 October 2022 about them). The news articles were released several years after Beyond Enkription was published which makes them all the more beguiling.
All this is not only mind-boggling but backed up by some evidence so who needs fictitious spies like Bond and Bourne anymore? Just like the spy novel Beyond Enkription based on Bill Fairclough’s life in 1974, these articles make for sobering yet superb reads as long as you don’t expect John le Carré’s delicate diction, sophisticated syntax and placid plots. The links to these articles are https://theburlingtonfiles.org/news_2023_06.07.php and https://theburlingtonfiles.org/news_2022.10.31.php.
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Thanks so much, Jim, I will follow those leads!
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As good as Bond or Bourne or any other assassin but for real? Here are 50 plus reasons why Hollywood should make a film based on the life of the accountant/banker come spy Bill Fairclough’s. Fairclough (MI6 codename JJ) aka Edward Burlington is the protagonist in TheBurlingtonFiles series of fact based spy thrillers. If you enjoy noir and genuine espionage read the news article dated 7 August 2023 entitled Bill Fairclough’s Known Life-threatening Incidents in TheBurlingtonFiles website and thank your god you are still alive. After all, you probably weren’t protected by Pemberton’s People in MI6 (see another intriguing news article in the same website dated 31 October 2022 about them). The news articles were released several years after Beyond Enkription was published which makes them all the more beguiling.
All this is not only mind-boggling but backed up by some evidence so who needs fictitious spies like Bond and Bourne anymore? Just like the spy novel Beyond Enkription based on Bill Fairclough’s life in 1974, these articles make for sobering yet superb reads as long as you don’t expect John le Carré’s delicate diction, sophisticated syntax and placid plots. The links to these articles are https://theburlingtonfiles.org/news_2023_06.07.php and https://theburlingtonfiles.org/news_2022.10.31.php.
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