Book · 1974 · Fiction
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
A George Smiley Novel
- mentions
- 12
- people
- 7
- podcasts
- 3
- episodes
- 6
- critical mentions
- 0
A wonderful thriller about bureaucracy.
What they say about it
- Adaptation and film“feature film adaptation”4
The best things said about it
He co-wrote the 2011 feature film adaptation of Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy the classic John leer spy novel a screenplay that earned an Oscar nomination.
Although we have in Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy we have a kind of account of Smiley's history.
There's a great moment in Tinker Taylor where he picks up a gun and then puts it down again and puts it away because if you shoot someone there'll be a frightful R.
He worked in Germany, and he was betrayed by Kim Philby, who was the mole in—if you read Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, you know that there was a mole in the British foreign service.
Or like Carla in the uh excellent I think was John Leair novels adapted into the most famous one would be Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy.
Where and when it comes up
Mentions per year
How it comes up
Most mentions, by podcast
7 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré is a classic espionage novel that follows veteran British intelligence agent George Smiley as he hunts for a Soviet mole high up in the Circus. On Stuff They Don't Want You To Know, Matt Frederick mentioned the title as an exemplary work of fiction depicting espionage. On The Book Review, host Gilbert Cruz and guest Peter Straughan discussed the 2011 film adaptation, with Straughan noting how the novel did not easily fit into a traditional film narrative and reflecting on his approach to character control and the author's reactions to changes. In another episode of The Book Review, Cruz referenced the book while discussing the timeline between various installments, while guest Nick Harkaway mentioned the title to illustrate George Smiley's continuity, history, and specific tradecraft moments, such as a scene where a character picks up a gun and puts it away because shooting someone would cause a frightful uproar. Across these various podcast appearances, the book is consistently highlighted as a masterwork of the spy genre, praised for its intricate plotting, psychological depth, and realistic portrayal of Cold War intelligence operations and tradecraft.
Every mention
Gilbert Cruz he co-wrote the 2011 feature film adaptation of Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy the classic John leer spy novel a… 3
“he co-wrote the 2011 feature film adaptation of Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy the classic John leer spy novel a screenplay that earned an Oscar nomination”
“so Nick I'm glad I reread the Spy Who Came in from the cold before picking up Carla choice you you chose to set Carla choice between that book and Tinker Taylor”
“and and one of the ways that you could definitely look at Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy for example is just a a wonderful Thriller about bureaucracy”
Peter Straughan um it doesn't have to fall into film shape um Tinker Taylor certainly didn't 3
“um it doesn't have to fall into film shape um Tinker Taylor certainly didn't”
“I remember with Tinker Taylor soier spy Gary Alman is very quiet very moderate all the way through”
“I mean thear was more Cavalier with Tinker Taylor than I was I I I felt I was sort of more nervous about making changes”
Nick Harkaway although we have in Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy we have a kind of account of Smiley's history 2
“although we have in Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy we have a kind of account of Smiley's history”
“there's a great moment in Tinker Taylor where he picks up a gun and then puts it down again and puts it away because if you shoot someone there'll be a frightful R”
John Williams and now I'm into Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy which is fairly considerably longer than the Spy Who Came in fro… 1
“and now I'm into Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy which is fairly considerably longer than the Spy Who Came in from the cold”
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar He worked in Germany, and he was betrayed by Kim Philby, who was the mole in—if you read Tinker Tailor Sold… 1
“He worked in Germany, and he was betrayed by Kim Philby, who was the mole in—if you read Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, you know that there was a mole in the British foreign service.”
Matt Frederick or like Carla in the uh excellent I think was John Leair novels adapted into the most famous one would be T… 1
“or like Carla in the uh excellent I think was John Leair novels adapted into the most famous one would be Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy.”
Pamela Paul you know if that had been the case imagine Tinker Taylor by Hank Smith yeah it doesn't doesn't sound quite… 1
“you know if that had been the case imagine Tinker Taylor by Hank Smith yeah it doesn't doesn't sound quite the same”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (7: passing, ad reads, own books)
“It works in fiction. It's fun in like Tinker Taylor, Soldier Spy or whatever. But really what you want is the boring people.”
“a tinker Taylor Soldier Spy and all in one package”
“for some books like Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy a perfect spy The Spy Who Came in from the cold or or a lot of spies here are simply among their favorite works of literature”
“I'm reading right now Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy by John lare and I'm reading read me by Leo Benedictus”
“it sounds like Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy level things but it does happen”
“most people only think about this kind of world or industry when you watch cool spy movies you know the James Bond stuff Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy which is great it holds up”
“George Smiley is John lareo Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy ah got it m my6 guy who sets out to catch a mole”