Book notes | Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
The novel Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy was published in 1974; still fresh was the disclosure that British intelligence (nicknamed “The Circus” in the book for its fictionalized location on Cambridge Circus in London) had been severely compromised by Soviet double agents imbedded in the hierarchy of the English secret service. These were Englishmen of impeccable pedigree, Cambridge and Oxford University graduates.
Tinker, Tailor the nursery rhyme provides the code names of five agents serving at the highest level of British intelligence. Within them is a mole, a double agent. George Smiley, generally regarded as an honorable spy chief, is recruited to uncover the mole.
The novel is a story about secrets, lies, and shifting identities. It is about spycraft, where it is hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys.
Driven by ideology
The espionage, as it is finally uncovered, is the work of a mole driven by ideology, not by greed.
Le Carré portrays spy strategies as dubious, obscure, complex, of endless treacheries and uncertain outcomes. He forces the question, who benefited from these activities and what was won?
Tinker, Tailor has been celebrated as an introduction to grownup reality, a double serving of pessimism and pleasure.
At our July 23rd meeting, members of UMRA’s Fourth Friday Book Club agreed it was a very good read—a story where every character, every characterization was rich with possibilities; a fictional world most likely too close to actual events.
Upcoming meetings:
August 27. Pale Horse, Pale Rider by Katherine Anne Porter
September 24. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
October 22. A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
November 26. Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie
New members are welcome to the Fourth Friday Book Club. Contact Dorothy Marden or Margaret Catambay to learn more.
—Dorothy Marden, Fourth Friday Book Club (aka UMRA Book Club II)
Book Club II to meet July 23
Wed, Jun 23 2021, 2pm
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John LeCarré is the first of a trilogy that later included The Honourable Schoolboy and Smiley’s People. Of all the LeCarré books, Tinker, Tailor is regarded as the most entertaining.
Tinker, Tailor came out in 1974; still fresh was the disclosure that British intelligence had been severely compromised by Soviet double agents—double agents imbedded in the hierarchy of the British Secret Intelligence Service. These were Englishmen of impeccable pedigree, Cambridge University graduates.
Le Carré portrays spy strategies as dubious, obscure, complex, of endless treacheries and uncertain outcomes. He forces the questions, who benefited from these activities and what was won? Tinker, Tailor has been celebrated as an introduction to grownup reality, a double serving of pessimism and pleasure.
New members are welcome!
Please contact Dorothy Marden or Margaret Catambay to learn more.
Upcoming Events
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.