AUDIO

The Looking Glass War

by John le Carré
8 CDs. retail ed. unabridged. 9 hrs. Penguin Audio. 2013. ISBN 9781611760996. $39.95; 8 CDs. library ed; 1 MP3-CD. library ed.; digital download. F
COPY ISBN
OrangeReviewStarThis 1965 novel is one of le Carré's finest early works. When a bumbling British spy agency learns that the Soviets may have placed missiles in East Germany near the West German border, a Polish agent who was valuable during World War II is reactivated and sent on an ill-defined mission. With its emphasis less on espionage than on bureaucratic dissension, this title prefigures Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. The best scenes are the few featuring George Smiley, le Carré's greatest creation, who views the events from afar with weary resignation. As always, Michael Jayston gives a masterly reading, slowing his cadences to underscore the humanity of the characters.
VERDICT Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Michael Adams, CUNY Graduate Ctr., New York , Jun 15, 2013
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