JOHN LE CARRE The Biography

For listeners of le Carré's spy novels, this biography is an intriguing look at the author whose art imitates his life. Listeners will be intrigued to hear about le Carré's (David Cornwell) life in postwar Berlin, his service for the British intelligence services, and the endless schemes of his con-man father. Narrator Michael Page convinces listeners that we're hearing directly from the biographer. Page's British accent is clear, efficient, and appropriate for the characters. His handling of quotations is excellent and without artifice, and the footnotes, which can be devilish in audiobooks, are similarly dispatched. Whether listeners are being taken through le Carré's publishing history or his relationship with his publishers, Page moves through the eight decades of Cornwell's life with the right balance of energy and erudition. An audiobook biography to savor. R.F.W. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2015]