The many realisms of John le Carré

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article will explore themany different realisms of John le Carré’s work, from the legacyof Nineteenth Century literary realism to the distinct tradition of“spy realism” that defined itself against the “spy romance”format epitomized by James Bond. Finally, this article will arguethat le Carré’s works challenged dominant historiographies of theCold War. In doing so, le Carré’s fictions pose questions tohistorians about the ways in which we understand and conceptualizethe so-called “real world of espionage”, and wider political,diplomatic, social and cultural currents it is intertwined with.