🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About John Le Carre
The books written by John Le Carre are absolutely perfect for film adaptations. The first script based on one of his novel was written in 1965 by Martin Ritt. The protagonist of the movie was the actor Alec Learnas. The novel on which the movie and the script were based is The Spy who Came in from the Cold, published in 1963. The world had to wait only one more year, until 1966, to enjoy the film adaptation of Call for the Dead, the first novel written by Le Carre. This time, the man behind the project was Sidney Lumet. Then, in 1969, the time came for Anthony Hopkins to star in a movie based on a masterpiece born from the talent of Mr. Le Carrè: The Looking-glass War. The year was 1969 and the man in charge was Frank Pierson.
All Book Series by John Le Carre
Karla's Choice
Latest in the series · book 4 of 4 · published 2024 Anthology · Nick Harkaway
A Private Spy: The Letters of John le Carré
Latest in the series · book 2 of 2 · published 2022 Co-authored · Tim Cornwell
The Book of Spies: An Anthology of Literary Espionage
Series opener · book 1 of 3 · published 2003
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is John Le Carre?
The books written by John Le Carre are absolutely perfect for film adaptations. The first script based on one of his novel was written in 1965 by Martin Ritt. The protagonist of the movie was the actor Alec Learnas.
Which John Le Carre series should I start with?
The best place to start is the George Smiley series, the earliest of John Le Carre's multi-book series: it opens with Call for the Dead (1961) and runs to 12 books across 1961–2026, ending with Smiley's People (1979). John Le Carre's other series stand alone, so they can be read in any order.
How many books has John Le Carre written?
John Le Carre has 40 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1961 and 2026. 17 of them belong to 3 named series — the largest being the George Smiley series with 12 books — and 23 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should John Le Carre's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. John Le Carre's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are George Smiley (1961–2026, 12 books), The Karla Trilogy (1974–2024, 4 books) and John le Carr Short Story Collections (1999, 1 book).
How are John Le Carre's books organised into series?
This guide splits John Le Carre's 40 books into 3 named series and 23 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: George Smiley (12 books, 1961–2026); The Karla Trilogy (4 books, 1974–2024); John le Carr Short Story Collections (1 book, 1999).