--- product_id: 7713786 title: "Smiley's People: A George Smiley Novel" price: "€ 40.20" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.be/products/7713786-smileys-people-a-george-smiley-novel store_origin: BE region: Belgium --- # Smiley's People: A George Smiley Novel **Price:** € 40.20 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Smiley's People: A George Smiley Novel - **How much does it cost?** € 40.20 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.be](https://www.desertcart.be/products/7713786-smileys-people-a-george-smiley-novel) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description From the New York Times bestselling author of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy ; Our Kind of Traitor ; and The Night Manager , now a television series starring Tom Hiddleston Tell Max that it concerns the Sandman … A very junior agent answers Vladimir’s call, but it could have been the Chief of the Circus himself. No one at the British Secret Service considers the old spy to be anything except a senile has-been who can’t give up the game—until he’s shot in the face at point-blank range. Although George Smiley (code name: Max) is officially retired, he’s summoned to identify the body now bearing Moscow Centre’s bloody imprimatur. As he works to unearth his friend’s fatal secrets, Smiley heads inexorably toward one final reckoning with Karla—his dark “grail.” In Smiley’s People , master storyteller and bestselling author John le Carré brings his acclaimed Karla Trilogy to its unforgettable, spellbinding conclusion. Featuring an introduction by the author. Review: Incredibly addictive author - How does an average, normal reader even begin to critique (review) the work of le Carré? The Karla Trilogy (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy; Honorable Schoolboy: Smiley's People) is a series that I have had to reread on almost an annual basis since first discovering George Smiley in "Call for the Dead" ([...]) in the 1960's. I have even "enticed and corrupted" both my sons, one an Art Professor, the other a Diplomat, in my addiction and they too own and reread the books and have copies of the BBC series to watch. I shamelessly refuse to apologize for my enticement of them, or even perhaps, you the reader of this presumptuous review of such a masterwork. They are, after all, only fiction, just a series of `novels'? (Which are generally considered essentially trivial - an idea against which even Jane Austen's own strictures have had no effect). But so addictive is John le Carré's skill that even a vast general TV viewing public became so engrossed in a serialized BBC's series of one of his works that they brought the British nation to a standstill for each of the hour-long adaptions that were broadcast. Pure fascinating reading that evokes both characters and atmospheres so strongly they engage the reader and entice them to continue to read each and every one of his works. A craftsmanship based on real experience - in the British Secret Service - that adds such value to his inventions that they become a reality. The TV adaptation featured Sir Alec Guinness as the main character, George Smiley, dour, donnish master spy and charismatic leader. His portrayal was masterly, and therein lay a poisonous problem ... after the trilogy became both best-selling books, serialized television, and films; the author `killed off' (like Conan Doyle with Holmes, and Nicolas Freeling with Van der Valk) both the George Smiley, the circus, and all future Smiley's people by totally dropping him from his repertoire and changing his subjects to further and even more modern fields. In an interview the author explained his motivation for disappointing and stunning his loyal readership... "... the problem was ,whether I liked it or not by the time (Sir) Alec Guinness finished with him he was George Smiley - voice, mannerisms, looks - and by the time he had finished with my character I had been given back used goods. On the other hand, I didn't at all enjoy the fact that Smiley had somehow been taken over by my public..." Do read this wonderful series ... but your appreciation and enjoyment might also become as embittered as the rest of us disappointed fans at the disappearance of these fascinating characters and the intellectual twists of John le Carré's Smiley's people in their Cold War circus. (This review is my attempt for the whole of the "Karla" series.) Review: “He had toiled in back rooms while shallower men held the stage.” - This novel is the thrilling culmination of the Karla trilogy, John Le Carre's three novels about the Cold War duel between George Smiley of the Circus, MI6, British Intelligence, and Karla of Moscow Centre in the Soviet Union. Karla surfaces in a very oblique, subtle, and roundabout way which only Smiley is truly qualified to sniff out. As usual, Smiley’s been sidelined by those with greater office politics skills but he’s drawn back in and given the opportunity to very unofficially attempt to trap his nemesis Karla who is very barely discernible through some odd contacts, some money trails, and a young woman in Switzerland. These are the elements of a spy novel that is subtle, morally deep, complex, and very sophisticated. It has all the usual trappings of Le Carre’s world - brilliantly realized minor characters, intricate and subtle narrative, a certain amount of globe trotting around Europe, and a mature, literary style which never disappoints. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #83,331 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #361 in Espionage Thrillers (Books) #406 in Political Thrillers (Books) #1,232 in Assassination Thrillers (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 8,776 Reviews | ## Images ![Smiley's People: A George Smiley Novel - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71GpBMSDL8L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Incredibly addictive author *by J***R on February 9, 2012* How does an average, normal reader even begin to critique (review) the work of le Carré? The Karla Trilogy (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy; Honorable Schoolboy: Smiley's People) is a series that I have had to reread on almost an annual basis since first discovering George Smiley in "Call for the Dead" ([...]) in the 1960's. I have even "enticed and corrupted" both my sons, one an Art Professor, the other a Diplomat, in my addiction and they too own and reread the books and have copies of the BBC series to watch. I shamelessly refuse to apologize for my enticement of them, or even perhaps, you the reader of this presumptuous review of such a masterwork. They are, after all, only fiction, just a series of `novels'? (Which are generally considered essentially trivial - an idea against which even Jane Austen's own strictures have had no effect). But so addictive is John le Carré's skill that even a vast general TV viewing public became so engrossed in a serialized BBC's series of one of his works that they brought the British nation to a standstill for each of the hour-long adaptions that were broadcast. Pure fascinating reading that evokes both characters and atmospheres so strongly they engage the reader and entice them to continue to read each and every one of his works. A craftsmanship based on real experience - in the British Secret Service - that adds such value to his inventions that they become a reality. The TV adaptation featured Sir Alec Guinness as the main character, George Smiley, dour, donnish master spy and charismatic leader. His portrayal was masterly, and therein lay a poisonous problem ... after the trilogy became both best-selling books, serialized television, and films; the author `killed off' (like Conan Doyle with Holmes, and Nicolas Freeling with Van der Valk) both the George Smiley, the circus, and all future Smiley's people by totally dropping him from his repertoire and changing his subjects to further and even more modern fields. In an interview the author explained his motivation for disappointing and stunning his loyal readership... "... the problem was ,whether I liked it or not by the time (Sir) Alec Guinness finished with him he was George Smiley - voice, mannerisms, looks - and by the time he had finished with my character I had been given back used goods. On the other hand, I didn't at all enjoy the fact that Smiley had somehow been taken over by my public..." Do read this wonderful series ... but your appreciation and enjoyment might also become as embittered as the rest of us disappointed fans at the disappearance of these fascinating characters and the intellectual twists of John le Carré's Smiley's people in their Cold War circus. (This review is my attempt for the whole of the "Karla" series.) ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “He had toiled in back rooms while shallower men held the stage.” *by D***R on December 27, 2024* This novel is the thrilling culmination of the Karla trilogy, John Le Carre's three novels about the Cold War duel between George Smiley of the Circus, MI6, British Intelligence, and Karla of Moscow Centre in the Soviet Union. Karla surfaces in a very oblique, subtle, and roundabout way which only Smiley is truly qualified to sniff out. As usual, Smiley’s been sidelined by those with greater office politics skills but he’s drawn back in and given the opportunity to very unofficially attempt to trap his nemesis Karla who is very barely discernible through some odd contacts, some money trails, and a young woman in Switzerland. These are the elements of a spy novel that is subtle, morally deep, complex, and very sophisticated. It has all the usual trappings of Le Carre’s world - brilliantly realized minor characters, intricate and subtle narrative, a certain amount of globe trotting around Europe, and a mature, literary style which never disappoints. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ And So It Ends... *by S***4 on June 25, 2013* Over the course of Smiley's People (and the two previous novels in the "Karla" trilogy), author Le Carré pits his non-action hero against an equally strong-willed and cunning enemy Karla. You'll have to flash back to cold war days, when it was the "west" versus the Soviet Empire. In particular, Britain served most nobly on the front line of this war, exceeding the incapable French and split-in-half Germans. George Smiley exemplifies all that is British in his ability to ponder the possibilities and circumstances as he pries deep into the enemy's heart to bring him to the other side of the dividing line. This is where Le Carré shines, in depicting the minutia without bogging down. One gets a sense of the tension and tedium of "spy" operations. There is much less flashy gun battles, car chases, and beautiful women (as there would be in a Bond novel); plenty more intellectual exploration. While I find Le Carré's take on some of the politics a bit droll, he embodies his characters with a sense of duty and purpose lacking in the superficial stories of the current crop in this field. George Smiley may have some doubts, but he follows through, which is the most important thing. One does not shirk one's responsibilities, especially be they to country. When facing an enemy as clever and equally committed as Karla, Smiley must use all his wits to achieve success. Again, this is the strongest part of the book, peeling away the layers of the onion to figure out exactly what is going on and how it will play on both sides of the iron curtain. This is the second time I've read this book, and I'll probably read it several more times because there is that much content worth enjoying. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.be/products/7713786-smileys-people-a-george-smiley-novel](https://www.desertcart.be/products/7713786-smileys-people-a-george-smiley-novel) --- *Product available on Desertcart Belgium* *Store origin: BE* *Last updated: 2026-10-15*