348 Quotes by John le Carré

I’ve got more than one string to my bow, and I thought I’d give this one a twang.

It’s death, that’s what I’m suffering from. The systematic encroachment of the big D.

A lot of people see doubt as legitimate philosophical posture. They think of themselves in the middle, whereas of course really, they’re nowhere.

When a problem threatens to engulf you, there’s nothing like irrelevant detail to keep your head above water.

It’s the oldest question of all, George. Who can spy on the spies?

Let’s die of it before we’re too old.

People are very secretive – secret even from themselves.

It’s a principle of mine to come into the story as late as possible, and to tell it as fast as you can.

What do you think spies are: priests, saints and martyrs? They’re a squalid procession of vain fools, traitors too, yes; pansies, sadists and drunkards, people who play cowboys and Indians to brighten their rotten lives.