Death of John Le Carre (David Cornwell) at 89

[ozduck]

Any reader of Espionage novels over the last 60 years would surely have read at least one of his books. I have read an awful lot more than one of of his books. His novels set during the Cold War certainly seemed to have the ring of authenticity to me, and others, but he was always fairly coy about his real activities with MI6. Too me he seemed to struggle somewhat after the 'fall of the Wall' took a bit of the Raison d'être out of his work but that could be either just my imagination or due to his advancing age.

George Smiley would probably be the best known character he created - seemingly bland and boring but actually highly intelligent and completely merciless when necessary.



https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55297558

[The Backroad Astronomer]

Saw that earlier and reminded me of a story. Hugh Laurie went to his birthday with Stephen Fry. At the end of the party he was asked to play happy birthday on the piano. Most of the guests were spies or ex-spies. So the waiters turned off the lights and lit the candle on the cake, all of sudden Hugh hired a bunch of clicks as a lot of guests were getting for some action of some kind.

[publiusr]

“Heard” the hammer actions, I get you

[geonuc]

A literary giant.

[grant hutchison]

Saw that earlier and reminded me of a story. Hugh Laurie went to his birthday with Stephen Fry. At the end of the party he was asked to play happy birthday on the piano. Most of the guests were spies or ex-spies. So the waiters turned off the lights and lit the candle on the cake, all of sudden Hugh hired a bunch of clicks as a lot of guests were getting for some action of some kind.

Probably not in the UK, then.

Grant Hutchison

[The Backroad Astronomer]

The story was told n the Graham Norton how.

[grant hutchison]

The story was told n the Graham Norton how.

The party. Probably not in the UK.

Grant Hutchison

[jamesabrown]

all of sudden Hugh hired a bunch of clicks as a lot of guests were getting for some action of some kind.

I'm sorry, maybe it's because I'm American, but I can't parse this sentence.

[grant hutchison]

all of sudden Hugh hired a bunch of clicks as a lot of guests were getting for some action of some kind.

I'm sorry, maybe it's because I'm American, but I can't parse this sentence.

I believe it should read

all of sudden Hugh heard a bunch of clicks as a lot of guests were getting ready for some action of some kind.

That is, were cocking guns because the lights had gone out suddenly.

Grant Hutchison

[jamesabrown]

Thanks. Now it makes sense, and would definitely be something worth remembering.

It's not much distance between the hearing guns cocked and hearing gunfire.

[The Backroad Astronomer]

It is what a meant sorry.