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John le Carre

John le Carre Quotes

Author

John le Carre, born David Cornwell, is a renowned British spy novel author. Born in October 1931, he is known for his profound insights into the world of espionage and his delicate portrayal of human nature. Le Carre's works are often set against the backdrop of the British intelligence agencies during the Cold War, revealing the complexity and moral dilemmas of espionage activities.

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Famous John le Carre Quotes

“A good writer can watch a cat pad across the street and know what it is to be pounced upon by a Bengal tiger.”

Knows Writing Watches Streets Cat Tigers Good Writers Pads Bengal Tigers

Author:John le Carre

“I think that most of my books are part of some process of self-education, often about the places I go to. Most of all, they are about the peculiar tension between institutional loyalty and loyalty to oneself; the mystery of patriotism, for a Brit of my age and generation, where it runs, how it should be defined, what it's worth and what a corrupting force it can be when misapplied. All that stuff is just in me and it comes out in the characters. I don't mean to preach, but I know I do, and I'm a very flawed person. It's quite ridiculous.”

Thinking Knows Should Mean Persons Book Self Character Running Age Force Stuff Process Generations Mystery Oneself Loyalty Ridiculous Defined Tension Peculiar Flawed Self Education Brits

Author:John le Carre

“I think that all writers feel alienated. ... I know that I do. ... I still feel, as I think most creative people do, absolutely isolated.”

People Thinking Knows Feels Stills Creative Isolated Creative People

Author:John le Carre

“I once heard someone say morality was method. Do you hold with that? I suppose you wouldn't. You would say that morality was vested in the aim, I expect. Difficult to know what one's aims are, that's the trouble, specially if you're British.”

Ifs Knows Difficult Trouble Heard Morality Aim Method British

Book:Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Source: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

“Our power knows no limits, yet we cannot find food for a starving child, or a home for a refugee. Our knowledge is without measure and we build the weapons that will destroy us. We live on the edge of ourselves, terrified of the darkness within. We have harmed, corrupted and ruined, we have made mistakes and deceived.”

Knows Children Made Home Mistake Darkness Limits Weapons Edges Terrified Ruined Refugee Deceived Starving Made A Mistake Darkness Within

Author:John le Carre

“Jesus Christ only had twelve, you know, and one of them was a double.”

Knows Jesus Christ Jesus Christ Twelve

Book:Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Source: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

“Americans believe that if you know something, you should do something about it.”

Ifs Knows Should Believe Literature

Author:John le Carre

“Every writer knows he is spurious; every fiction writer would rather be credible than authentic.”

Knows Fiction Fiction Writers Credible

Author:John le Carre

“In the last 15 or 20 years, I've watched the British press simply go to hell. There seems to be no limit, no depths to which the tabloids won't sink. I don't know who these people are but they're little pigs.”

People Knows Years Littles Seems Lasts Literature Hell Limits Presses Depth British Pigs Tabloids Go To Hell

Author:John le Carre

“In every war zone that I've been in, there has been a reality and then there has been the public perception of why the war was being fought. In every crisis, the issues have been far more complex than the public has been allowed to know.”

Knows Has Beens War Reality Issues Perception Crisis Complexes Zone War Zones

Author:John le Carre

“A good man knows when to sacrifice himself, a bad man survives but loses his soul.”

Knows Men Soul Loses Sacrifice Good Man Bad Man

Author:John le Carre

“Remember Graham Green's dictum that childhood is the bank balance of the writer? I think that all writers feel alienated. Most of us go back to an alienated childhood in some way or another. I know that I do.”

Thinking Knows Way Feels Remember Childhood Balance Green

Author:John le Carre

“I don't know whether it's age or maturity, but I certainly find myself committed more and more to the looser forms of Western democracy at any price.”

Knows Age Form Literature Democracy Western Committed Maturity

Author:John le Carre

About the Author

Born: October 19, 1931
Known for: Author
Quotes: 178

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Literature Thinking Writing Spy World Book Knows People War Ifs Men Littles Political Secret Way Cold Age Cold War Ends Enemy

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Books & Sources

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, SpyRelated source material

The Honourable SchoolboyRelated source material

The Russia House: A NovelRelated source material

Smiley's PeopleRelated source material

The Constant Gardener: A NovelRelated source material

The Spy Who Came In from the ColdRelated source material

A Most Wanted ManRelated source material

A Murder of QualityRelated source material

A Perfect SpyRelated source material

Absolute FriendsRelated source material

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