John Le Carré is an author I have tried and failed to read several times, and it was eating away at me that I had not read any Le Carré. I have no idea why. Similar to The Iliad, I was harboring a private shame that I hadn't read it. Finishing The Iliad opened up my world, so I just needed to do it knowing I wouldn't be able to move on until I did.

As with all spy novels and movies, the plot was convoluted to the point of incomprehension. But, who reads these things for the plot. I still don’t get why people love le Carré so much, I’ll say it.