Toby Young Toby Young

Spare me the encomiums for John le Carré

<p class="p1">His novels gave succour to the enemy when we were locked in a life-or-death struggle with one of history’s worst regimes</p>

issue 02 September 2017

In Absolute Friends, one of John le Carré’s lesser works, the central character explains his rebirth as a left-wing firebrand, radicalised by Britain’s support for America’s invasion of Iraq. ‘It’s the old man’s impatience coming on early,’ he says. ‘It’s anger at seeing the show come round again one too many times.’

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