The Looking-Glass War
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| Author | John le Carré |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Spy novel |
| Publisher | William Heinemann (UK) & Putnam (USA) |
| Released | June 1965 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) & Audio Cassette |
| Pages | 246 pp (hardback edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-434-41200-7 (UK hardback edition) ISBN 0-698-10218-5 (US hardback edition) |
The Looking Glass War is a spy novel by John le Carré, published in 1965.
The story concerns a British Intelligence agency known as 'The Department' and its attempts to infiltrate an agent into East Germany.
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[edit] Plot introduction
Le Carré's most famous character George Smiley does appear in the book but only in a supporting role. John le Carré has stated that this novel is his most realistic portrayal of the intelligence world as he knew it and that this was one reason for its relative lack of success.
[edit] Plot summary
'The Department', had much success running agents against the Nazis during the Second World War but has been resting on its laurels since. It seems to expend most of its energies on a bureaucratic turf war with the more professional "Circus".
After evidence comes The Department's way that Soviet Missiles are being emplaced near the West German border, the head of the Department, LeClerc decides to send an agent over the border to discover the truth. The Department reactivates one of their agents, a naturalised Pole known as Fred Leiser. Fred is retrained and infiltrated over the border into East Germany.
[edit] Characters in "The Looking-Glass War"
- Fred Leiser – British spy of Polish background, main protagonist
- LeClerc – head of "The Department"
- George Smiley – makes a short appearance
[edit] Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
The novel was filmed in 1969, starring Christopher Jones as Leiser, Ralph Richardson as LeClerc and Anthony Hopkins as Avery.
[edit] Release details
- 1965, UK, William Heinemann ISBN 0-434-41200-7, Pub date ? June 1965, Hardback
- 1965, USA, Putnam Pub Group ISBN 0-698-10218-5, Pub date ? June 1965, Hardback
- 1965, USA, Coward-McCann, Inc., New York, Book Club Edition, Hardback
- 1985, UK, G K Hall & Co ISBN 0-8161-4040-5, Pub date ? April 1986, Hardback (Large Print)
- 1991, UK, Hodder & Stoughton Ltd ISBN 0-340-55813-X, Pub date 21 November 1991, Hardback
- 1991, UK, Hodder & Stoughton (Coronet) ISBN 0-340-55446-0, Pub date 21 November 1991, Paperback
- 1992, USA, Ballantine Books ISBN 0-345-37736-2, Pub date ? March 1992, Paperback
- 1999, UK, Hodder & Stoughton ISBN 1-84032-108-3, Pub date 22 February 1999, Audio Cassette (read by John le Carré}
