Smiley's model

James Bond may be the prototypical English spy, but more discerning readers know that John Le Carré's novels come as close as possible to depicting a "true" portrait of the men and women who populate British intelligence. His most indelible creation, George Smiley, is worlds away from Bond: "short, fat and of a quiet disposition . . . [appearing] to spend a lot of money on really bad clothes." Instead of indulging in international jet-setting and world-saving, Smiley chafes at Byzantine government schemes and covert operations so complicated that a labyrinth wouldn't do proper pictorial justice.

By Sarah Weinman

December 23, 2007