The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John le Carre, Fiftieth Anniversary Edition

Published by Penguin Classics, London; 2013. 8vo. Fiftieth Anniversary edition, fifth impression.  Condition: Fine/Fine.

This is a very attractive and collectible example of this 50th anniversary edition of John le Carré’s third novel, bound in original grey cloth boards with title in red to the spine. The binding is square and tight and in smart condition, with just the faintest touch of bumping to the edges. Inside, the pages are clean and bright and free from damage, with just a hint of toning.

The book is housed in its original dust jacket. It is vibrant and bright, and in equally smart condition, with no signs of damage or wear, save a little bumping to the corners and spine ends.

This is a beautiful example of the fiftieth anniversary edition of le Carre's third novel, hailed as his breakthrough work, and which quickly became an international best seller. Following its publication, le Carré left MI6 to pursue his writing career. This novel became one of the most important in it’s genre, changing the face of spy fiction forever. Le Carré used his first hand knowledge of the secret services to produce a tense and twisting story that was unlike any other at the time. It was translated to the big screen in 1965, directed by Martin Witt and starring Richard Burton. It won a number of awards, including BAFTA Awards for Best Film, Actor, Cinematography and Art Direction. It remains one of the high points of this incredibly popular and bestselling author. This anniversary edition contains added archival material from the time of its first publication and a new afterword by the author. This edition reflects on a novel that for half a century has been read and celebrated as the ultimate Cold War thriller and a compulsive work of art (blurb).