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 the themes of espionage, secrecy, and the moral complexities of the Cold War as portrayed in le Carré’s novels. The conversation also touches on the cultural impact of le Carré’s recurring characters and broader societal issues such as public inquiries and truth-telling.

All that and much more in this episode.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:53 Discovering le Carré
04:01 Legacy of Spies Discussion
07:11 Revisiting the Cold War
20:03 Smiley’s Character Analysis
21:27 The Puppet Master: Smiley’s Control
21:48 Lady Ann and Poor George
22:20 Smiley’s Genius and Legacy
23:58 The Corrosive Effect of Secrecy
25:40 The Anti-Bond: Smiley’s Disillusionment
26:07 The Untrustworthy Institutions
28:20 The British Way of Sweeping Under the Rug
30:53 Truth Telling and Reconciliation
33:12 The Complexity of Forgiveness
38:23 The Role of Female Characters
42:12 Leamas and His Network
43:28 Cliffhanger and Next Episode Teaser

– Mark’s website

– The Met Police undercover officers scandal

– Mark’s bookshop with le Carré books on sale

– Mark’s podcast Triptych Conversations

Jeff’s site – SpyWrite.com

Jeff’s twitter – @spywrite